NACIA Washington Update
July 9, 2009

We hope you had a nice holiday and weekend.  Congress is back in town, and resuming their efforts to on significant legislative initiatives, including climate change, food safety, health care reform, and appropriations. 

With the Waxman climate change bill passed out of the House, the next step lies with the Senate.  However, the Senate does not seem eager to bring up the controversial bill quite yet, and work is currently going on behind the scenes to figure out how much support cap and trade really has.  It has been reported that while Republicans are decrying the legislation as cap and tax legislation, certain provisions are appealing to Senators from states in need of cash.  Specifically named were seven agricultural states that were viewed as possibly benefitting from the potential allowed offsets, such as planting trees and other agricultural carbon-reducing techniques:  Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Virginia.  On Tuesday, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held a hearing on climate change, with witnesses from the Administration, including Energy Secretary Steven Chu; Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson; Interior Secretary Ken Salazar; and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.  You can read the testimony from that hearing or watch a replay by clicking here.

Food safety continues to be on the agenda for consideration by the full House for the month of July, but Floor time seems to be at a premium currently, due to appropriations legislation.  On the Senate side, the bi-partisan bill introduced by Senators Durbin (D-IL), Gregg (R-NH), and Burr (R- NC) remains ready for consideration, but will probably not be taken up until after health care reform is dealt with.  The Administration has also focused on food safety, holding a press conference on the findings of the White House Food Safety Working Group that was convened earlier this year.  To view a fact sheet and the key findings document, visit the working group’s website. 

Regarding health care, the House started hearings the week before the July 4^th recess, and we expect them to resume relatively soon.  It has been assumed up until this point that the Senate will act first on this legislation, but recent reports are that House Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) will bring the legislation to consideration on the House Floor prior to the August recess whether or not the Senate has acted.  On the Senate side, the Health Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee has resumed their marathon mark up session of the legislation authored by Senators Kennedy (D-MA) and Dodd (D-CT), which began prior to the July 4^th recess.  Senator Baucus (D-MT) and Grassley (R-IA) are also working on health care legislation in their Finance Committee, although the two bills seem to be going in much different directions.  Senator Baucus continues to reach out to Republicans to develop a bipartisan bill, while Senators Kennedy and Dodd have not been so inclined.  These divergent approaches could make it difficult to marry the two pieces of legislation once they leave their respective Committees.  The two most divisive issues continue to be the public plan option and the taxing of benefits. 

Last but certainly not least, the appropriations season is in full swing on both sides of the Capitol.  After marking up the bill in Full Committee in June, the House began Floor consideration of the agriculture appropriations bill yesterday evening.  We expect the bill to pass later today, with no significant amendments being adopted.  The Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously reported the agriculture bill earlier this week, but has not yet scheduled Floor time.  However, we do expect it to be completed before the August recess, possibly as early as next week.  So far the agriculture appropriations legislation is on course for Conference and completion by September 30, the end of the current fiscal year. 

Moving down the Washington Mall to USDA, Secretary Vilsack and others at the Department continue to be active:

• The Administration has continued naming State Executive Directors for the Farm Service Agency and State Directors for Rural Development. To find your state directors, please click here and locate your state on the list. 
• Secretary Vilsack announced the appointment of Ann Mills as Deputy Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment, the position with responsibility for the Natural Resources Conservation Service.  Details.
• Secretary Vilsack announced the appointment of John D. Brewer as the Associate Administrator for the Foreign Agricultural Service. Details.
• Yesterday USDA announced the award of nearly $66.4 million in stimulus money to projects in 33 states.  To see if your state is one of the ones selected and for other information, click here.
• Lastly, it has been reported that Farm Service Agency administrator Doug Caruso has resigned after approximately two months in the position. 

If you have not paid your dues please submit online through the secure NACIA website or print out the membership renewal form and mail in your check.  Numerous legislative initiatives that Congress is currently considering cost money, and as we all know, the crop insurance program is often the target of those looking for funding sources.  It is vital that we have strong Washington representation to protect this essential aspect of the safety net. 

As always, please contact us if you have any questions. 

Brent W. Gattis
NACIA Washington Representative