Grassley Does Not Anticipate Another Shutdown

Chuck Grassley said he does not expect a new government shutdown in February, but he also noted there is a tough political road ahead for a key pending US trade deal.  The Senate Finance Chairman said USDA, recovering from the lengthy shutdown, can get a lot done in the next three weeks to implement the new Farm Bill, needed for the coming season.

When asked if he thinks another partial government shutdown can be avoided when agency funding runs out again on February 15th, Grassley said, “I think that the president has learned that shutdowns don’t work very well, so I don’t think he’s inclined to go along with another shutdown.”

But the Iowa Republican suggested the political climate has become so poisoned Washington D.C., it might be tougher now to pass the US-Mexico-Canada free trade deal, which is key for Ag and other sectors.

“When Pelosi was Speaker of the House in 2007, she didn’t want to give George W. Bush any victories, and he was hoping to get, Columbia was at least one of the free trade agreements, there’s probably others, she didn’t bring them up.”

Columbia only won approval after Republicans regained control of the House in 2010, prompting Grassley to add that Pelosi might do the same with the USMCA, despite 60 or 90-day time requirements for Congress to vote on it.  The clock won’t start ticking on the USMCA until after key agencies submit reports to Congress on the trade deal’s legal and economic impacts.

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