Grassley Has Reason To Be Concerned, Boozman Notes

Senate Ag Chair John Boozman recently said fellow Republican Chuck Grassley may be right in taking issue with the House Farm Bill budget reforms to SNAP.  Boozman has an eye on the House farm bill, now part of the broader House budget reconciliation bill that the GOP hopes to enact to advance the President’s tax and spending agenda.  But Grassley argues it’s “unreasonable” for the House to shift more SNAP costs to small states as well as the large states that are more able to foot the bill.

“I think that’s a very reasonable concern," Boozman noted.  "So, what we’re doing is looking at what the House did.  We’re talking to the states about how that’s going to affect them. We’re talking to USDA about how they think it’s going to affect the states.”

Debt Still Needs To Be Addressed

Another concern is soaring U.S. debt.  Moody's recently downgraded the U.S. credit rating.  Senate GOP Leader John Thune says the bill’s tax breaks address that.

“Policies that create greater growth in the economy, better paying jobs when people are making money and taking realizations, they’re paying taxes, and tax revenues go up," the South Dakota senator noted.  "So, you need pro-growth policies, many of which will be included in there. And then, but it is a warning shot that we need to get serious about spending restraint.” 

Among the bill’s pro-growth policies are a death tax exemption boost and expanded deductions for farm equipment and pass-through income.  But a key thing is the bill’s hike in reference prices of 10-to-20 percent, a boost to crop insurance, ARC, increases in Title I payment limits, updates of base acres, and stronger animal disease efforts.

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