The House Appropriations Committee yesterday approved the fiscal year 2014 Agriculture Appropriations bill, which will now head to the House floor for consideration. The proposed legislation funds important agricultural and food programs and services and totals $19.5 billion in discretionary funding, which is $1.3 billion below the fiscal year 2013 enacted level and approximately equal to the current level caused by automatic sequestration spending cuts. This total is $516 million below the president’s request for these programs.
Rep. Womack
Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR) offered an amendment to the bill that will scale back the GIPSA rule to Congress’ original intent as mandated in the 2008 Farm Bill. The measure will limit USDA from publishing a final rule on two important aspects of the GIPSA regulations–competitive injury and the “tournament system.” Reps. Jack Kingston (R-GA), Sanford Bishop (D-GA), and Henry Cuellar (D-TX) all spoke in favor and urged support of the amendment. The vote was recorded 29-17 and fell along party lines–with every Republican present voting “aye” along with three Democrats–Bishop, Cuellar, and Bill Owens (NY). This amendment mirrors the language and action taken by Congress in the appropriations bills and signed by the president three previous times.
The committee also adopted by way of voice vote an amendment, offered by Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA), urging USDA to move forward on its proposed rule to modernize poultry inspection. “In an effort to continue our progress towards reducing foodborne illnesses, we believe, and the committee recognizes, that the poultry inspection system should be modernized to transition to a model that is more science and risk-based,” said NCC President Mike Brown in a statement praising the amendment’s adoption.
The appropriations bill will now move to the House floor, perhaps after the House takes up the 2013 Farm Bill, which is expected on the House floor next week. The Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee is expected to consider its version of the FY 2014 funding bill on June 18, followed by the full Senate Appropriations Committee on June 20.
