Recently in Washington

Last week the House passed the Conference Report to H.R. 2642, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, known as the Farm Bill. The conference report authorizes federal agriculture programs for five years while making significant reforms and cutting $23 billion in mandatory spending. The bill passed in the House 251-166, with Congressman Simpson’s support.  The House also passed H.R. 7, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, which would make permanent currently used language ensuring that no public funds be used for abortion services. The bill passed 227-188-1 with Congressman Simpson’s support. 

Simpson: Farm Bill Critical to Idaho
Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson last week supported passage of the conference report for H.R. 2642, the Agricultural Act of 2014, known as the Farm Bill.  The conference report, which authorizes agriculture programs for five years, passed the House by a vote of 251-166.  The Agricultural Act of 2014 significantly reduces and reforms farm policy spending and food stamp expenditures, resulting in $23 billion dollars in taxpayer savings over 10 years.

“The impact of the Farm Bill on Idaho’s farming and ranching families cannot be overestimated,” said Simpson. “Farming and ranching are the economic backbone of Idaho and the Farm Bill is critical to keeping that backbone strong. I can’t imagine where we’d be without a Farm Bill or what the failure to pass one would do to our agricultural, economic, and national security.”

Simpson said that like any compromise bill, the 2014 Farm Bill isn’t the bill he would have written, but stressed the alternative is far worse for American agriculture and Idaho communities. “Allowing the current Farm Bill to expire and certain agriculture programs, like the dairy program, to revert back to early 20th century laws is simply not a viable option,” said Simpson. “Our ability to maintain a safe and domestic supply of food in the United States is tied directly to the policies put forth in the Farm Bill. People in our nation appreciate the complexities of maintaining a domestic supply of food, and we have to do everything we can to keep our food grown right here in the United States.”

Here are a few highlights of the Agricultural Act of 2014:

• Permanently authorizes vital tools to manage livestock production risk including the Livestock Indemnity Program, the Livestock Forage Disaster Program and Emergency Assistance for Livestock producers
• Repeals direct payments and strengthens risk management tools
• Strengthens the crop insurance program
• Funds specialty crop industry priorities
• Reauthorizes the U.S. sugar policy at zero cost to the taxpayer
• Replaces outdated dairy programs with a new, voluntary, margin protection program
• Makes significant reforms to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program to address fraud and misuse while maintaining food assistance to families in need while reducing spending on food stamps by $8 billion over 10 years 
• Strengthens and consolidates conservation programs to save $6 billion over the next decade

“I am also pleased that the Farm Bill contains significant reforms of the food stamp program and reduces its costs over the next five years,” said Simpson. “The Farm Bill prohibits federal food stamp recruitment programs, closes the “heat-and-eat” loophole, establishes state-based pilot programs with a work requirement, and ensures illegal immigrants and lottery winners are ineligible for food stamps.

The bill also includes a number of provisions regarding management of public lands and natural resources.  These include a one-year extension of full mandatory funding for Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT), which reimburses counties for the income lost because of the presence of federal land, and language preventing EPA from regulating forest roads under the Clean Water Act. 

“I am particularly grateful that the Farm Bill includes two provisions I have been seeking for quite some time – extension of PILT payments and limits on the EPA’s regulation of forest roads,” said Simpson. “The Farm Bill provides Congress with additional time to find a permanent funding source for PILT and ensures that the EPA’s regulatory appetite is curbed when it comes to forest roads.”

Simpson Responds to SOTU
Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson released the following statement after President Obama’s State of the Union address last week.

“The President could have used this State of the Union address to admit to the American people what most of them already know – that his signature healthcare initiative has failed and that it must be delayed while Congress works on a better approach,” said Congressman Mike Simpson.  “He didn’t use this moment to level with the American people on Obamacare and for that reason, among many others, I give the President an F.”

Floor Schedule

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3RD
On Monday, the House will meet at 12:00 p.m. for morning hour and 2:00 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:30 p.m.

Legislation Considered Under Suspension of the Rules:

1) H.R. 1791 - Medical Preparedness Allowable Use Act (Sponsored by Rep. Gus Bilirakis / Homeland Security Committee)

2) H.R. 357 - GI Bill Tuition Fairness Act of 2013, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Jeff Miller / Veterans’ Affairs Committee)

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4TH AND WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for morning hour and 12:00 p.m. for legislative business.

H.R. 3590 - Sportsmen’s Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act of 2013 (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Bob Latta / Natural Resources Committee / Agriculture Committee / Judiciary Committee / Transportation and Infrastructure Committee / Energy and Commerce Committee)

H.R. 3964 - Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Emergency Water Delivery Act, Rules Committee Print (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. David Valadao / Natural Resources Committee)

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6TH
On Thursday, the House will meet at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business. Last votes expected no later than 3:00 p.m.

H.R. 2954 - The Public Access and Lands Improvement Act, Rules Committee Print (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Jeff Miller / Natural Resources Committee)

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7TH
On Friday, no votes are expected.

In the News

Farm bill includes payments to rural counties

By Matthew Daly, January 30, 2014, Idaho Statesman

Washington — The farm bill moving toward approval in Congress includes a one-year extension of a federal program that compensates rural counties for federal lands they can't tax. About 1,900 local governments — mostly in the West — received a total of $400 million last year under the program, known as Payment in Lieu of Taxes or PILT.

More than three-quarters of the money went to 12 Western states, with the largest shares going to California, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona.

Lawmakers in the West had howled after the PILT program was omitted from a budget deal approved this month. The bill authorizes $425 million to help rural communities pay for basic services such as police and fire protection and road maintenance.

The House approved the farm bill Wednesday on a 251-166 vote, sending the bill to the Senate. The White House says President Barack Obama will sign the bill if it reaches his desk.

Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., hailed the one-year extension, saying it would allow local governments to move forward with their budgets.

"At the same time, we need to provide more certainty for these communities in the long term rather than force them to wonder year to year whether Washington will live up to its end of the bargain," Bennet said. Colorado received nearly $32 million last year.

Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, said the one-year extension "provides Congress with additional time to find a permanent funding source for PILT," a key priority for Western lawmakers from both parties.

The farm bill also allows the U.S. Forest Service to lease up to five new large air tankers to combat wildfires. The agency has had to abandon a large portion of its air tanker fleet in recent years following a rash of accidents. A defense bill approved late last year allowed the Forest Service to take control of seven C-130 Hercules air tankers and 15 smaller smoke-jumper aircrafts to fight wildfires. Several new tankers sought by the Forest Service have been delayed because of a protest by a losing bidder.

"Air tankers don't extinguish wildfires alone, but with these new resources, Colorado will be better prepared to quickly contain the blazes that threaten our homes and businesses," said Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo.

The bill also includes language clarifying that forest roads and other logging activities are not subject to federal regulation under the Clean Water Act. The amendment follows a Supreme Court ruling last year that water from logging roads is the same as runoff from a farmer's field and is not industrial pollution.

"The Clean Water Act was not intended to regulate stormwater runoff on forest roads," said Mike Crapo, R-Idaho. If signed into law, the bill will "allow the focus of private, state and federal land managers to return to improving forest management," Crapo said.

Environmental groups called the provision a giveaway to the timber industry that will result in increased pollution of the nation's drinking water.

"Reducing regulation of logging roads under the Clean Water Act doesn't change the fact that logging roads remain a primary cause of sediment pollution," said Bethanie Walder, public lands director of WildEarth Guardians, an environmental group based in New Mexico.