House Backs Farm Bill With Numbers to Beat Veto

WASHINGTON -- The House overwhelmingly approved a $300 billion farm bill on Wednesday afternoon, making it probable that the measure will become law despite President Bush’s anticipated veto, The New York Times reported.

The 318-to-106 vote, far over the two-thirds needed to override a veto, sends the bill to the Senate, where the measure is also expected to have veto-proof support, the paper reported

The House result, with 100 Republicans joining 218 Democrats to vote for the bill, made good on the predictions of the bill’s chief shepherd, Rep. Collin Peterson, a Minnesota Democrat who heads the House Agriculture Committee, the paper reported.

“My goal is to get over 300 votes,” Peterson told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “We have the possibility of getting that done. Three hundred votes seals the deal.” Only 15 Democrats opposed the bill, as did 91 Republicans.

Although it is called a farm bill, the huge, five-year piece of legislation contains not only aid for farmers but also money for land conservation and rural development -- plus money for food stamps for the needy, a priority for many urban lawmakers. It might be an exaggeration to say that the bill contains something for everyone, but the variety of benefits is a key to its strength. It includes, for example, tax breaks for racehorse breeders, a bonus sought by Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Republican minority leader, who is from Kentucky, The Times reported.

-- NYSSCPA.org News Staff

Posted on 5/15/08