House Approps approves FY 2013 Ag bill
June 19, 2012 | 09:27 PM
The House Appropriations Committee today approved a fiscal year 2013 Agriculture appropriations bill that is very similar to the bill passed earlier by the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, but including an amendment by Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., that prohibits farm program benefits to individuals or entities with adjusted gross incomes of more than $250,000.
The Flake amendment was adopted on a voice vote.
“The federal government cannot afford to hand out subsidies to people who clearly earn enough income to stand on their own,” said Flake in a news release. “Giving federal farm subsidies to wealthy individuals is simply indefensible.”
Another significant feature of the bill is a 12 percent cut in the funding for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
Rep. Sam Farr, D-Calif., the ranking member on the subcommittee, proposed $224.4 million for the CFTC for the new fiscal year, a slight increase. Committee members defeated the idea, 27-19, on a party-line vote, Reuters reported.
The Flake amendment was adopted on a voice vote.
“The federal government cannot afford to hand out subsidies to people who clearly earn enough income to stand on their own,” said Flake in a news release. “Giving federal farm subsidies to wealthy individuals is simply indefensible.”
Another significant feature of the bill is a 12 percent cut in the funding for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
Rep. Sam Farr, D-Calif., the ranking member on the subcommittee, proposed $224.4 million for the CFTC for the new fiscal year, a slight increase. Committee members defeated the idea, 27-19, on a party-line vote, Reuters reported.
