Peterson Criticizes House Leadership

Ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee Colin Peterson recently unloaded on House leadership, criticizing them for failing to bring the farm bill to a vote and warning them that time is quickly running out to pass the bill.

On July 12, the House Agriculture Committee passed a draft of the farm bill. While the suggested legislation was controversial to both Democrats and Republicans, many farmers and agricultural politicians hoped that it would at least provide a jumping off point and allow Representatives to discuss and address their concerns regarding agricultural policy.

Many also hoped that the bill’s passage out of committee, along with the Senate’s passage of their own farm bill last month, signaled enough bipartisan support to guarantee the bill’s passage before September 30.

Representative Peterson voiced the concerns of many farmers when he noted earlier this week that there was very little time left on the House’s agenda. The body is scheduled to recess on August 4 and will not reconvene until September 9.

Peterson criticized House leadership, including Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor, for failing to include the farm bill in the House’s schedule. “There is no excuse not to bring the farm bill to the floor,” Peterson said today. He also accused Republicans of wasting time on what he called “political messaging bills that are going nowhere.”

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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer