House OKs Farm Bill Despite Veto Threat

Source: Associated Press

House OKs Farm Bill Despite Veto Threat

By JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS, Associated Press Writer

Friday, July 27, 2007

(07-27) 12:14 PDT WASHINGTON (AP) --

The Democratic-controlled House passed legislation Friday
that combines billions in aid for farmers with money for
low-income nutrition programs, defying a veto threat from
President Bush over the bill's largesse to crop producers.

The measure, passed on a vote of 231-191, devotes more
money to conservation, renewable energy, nutrition and
specialty crop programs than in the past but leaves in place
— and in some cases increases — subsidies to producers of
major crops such as corn and soybeans at a time of record-
high prices.

It reflected a delicate straddle for Democrats writing their
first farm bill in a decade, who struggled to balance the
needs of first-term, farm-state lawmakers against the
demands of liberals seeking more money for environmental
and nutrition programs.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the measure
"signals change and shows a new direction in our farm
policy," but it fell well short of the changes many in her
party had demanded.

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Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/07/27/national/w110825D61.DTL

Source: Associated Press


Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/27/AR2007072701659.html