Congress breaks without approving bill to aid farmers

• By GERARD SHIELDS
• Advocate Washington bureau
• Published: Oct 4, 2008 - Page: 16A - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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WASHINGTON — Congress adjourned Friday without approving $1.12 billion in disaster aid for farmers, including those in Louisiana ravaged by hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

Republican U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, of Oklahoma, blocked a bill by Louisiana Democratic U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu seeking the money. Coburn is a physician who is nicknamed “Dr. No” for regularly opposing new federal spending.

Landrieu introduced the legislation last week and threatened to hold a 30-hour filibuster to keep the Senate from recessing for its election break. Landrieu relented after being promised by Senate leadership that the measure would get a vote earlier this week, she said.

Coburn used his Senate privilege to put a procedural hold on the bill.

Landrieu is pledging to bring the matter up again when Congress returns Nov. 17 after the election.

“The Senate passed a bill to bail out Wall Street while I have been focused on a bill to give our farmers immediate relief,” Landrieu said in a statement.

Landrieu noted that Coburn voted for the up to $700 billion bill to rescue American’s financial industry. She also said the U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated nine counties in Oklahoma as natural disasters because of drought, heat and high winds.

Oklahoma farmers would be eligible for the assistance under her proposal, Landrieu said.

“If Congress is prepared to spend a trillion dollars covering the mistakes of Wall Street financiers, certainly we can set aside one-tenth of one percent of that amount to help stand up for our farmers and rural communities,” Landrieu said.

Coburn disputed Landrieu’s claims Friday, calling her stance campaign politics. Landrieu is up for re-election next month.

Coburn said if approved, Landrieu’s bill would have required creating a whole new program that would take a year to implement, similar to a provision already approved in the recent farm bill.

“Sen. Landrieu’s rhetoric shows this bill has more to do with helping her campaign than farmers in any state,” Coburn said in a written statement. “If this bill was a priority for Senate leaders and the Senate Agriculture Committee, it would have been the subject of hearings weeks ago.”

Landrieu’s office said that under her legislation, farmers could get checks two to five months earlier than under the farm bill rules, which haven’t been written.