Washington Watch for Oct. 12, 2008

• By GERARD SHIELDS
• Advocate Washington bureau
• Published: Oct 12, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:00 a.m.

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The way Republican Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn operates on the Senate floor is much like the cowboys did in old Wild West: reach for that spending bill real slow like.

Coburn, a physician, is nicknamed “Dr. No” for repeatedly blocking federal spending legislation that he believes will add to the nation’s $482 billion deficit.

Louisiana recently became the subject of Coburn’s scorn when he objected to a $1.12 billion bill in disaster aid for farmers authored by Democratic Louisiana U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu.

Landrieu, who chairs the Senate disaster recovery subcommittee, complained that the money was left out of an emergency spending bill recently approved by Congress. She then wrote her own stand-alone disaster relief legislation and threatened to hold a 30-hour old-fashioned filibuster if the bill wasn’t considered as senators prepared to adjourn for their election recess.

Coburn complained that the Landrieu bill would have created a similar program to one adopted in the recent farm bill. As part of dueling press releases, Landrieu said that at a recent Senate Agricultural Committee hearing, a U.S. Department of Agriculture official testified the new rules for the program had yet to be written. The earliest the farm bill program could be implemented is next year, he said.

Coburn said that the Landrieu legislation would require the USDA create an entirely new software system just to track emergency crop payments. Landrieu countered, saying the ability to deliver the aid already existed from previous legislation related to Hurricane Katrina. At a minimum, Landrieu said, farmers under her bill would get checks two to five months quicker than the farm bill process.

Unlike many other senators, Landrieu called Coburn out on his hold by releasing a statement identifying him as the one holdout on the legislation. She lampooned his conservative reputation by noting he voted for the recent $700 billion bailout bill for the nation’s financial industry.

Coburn said the Landrieu bill smacked of politics, a reminder of the old Casablanca scene when Claude Rains as the police says he is “shocked” that gambling is occurring in the night club while he receives his winnings.

Of course, Landrieu’s timing was politically beneficial. With a Nov. 4 election coming up, rescuing farmers would be quite a coup, giving Landrieu big headlines and considerable positive attention.

But Coburn’s move equally reeked of politics. As the Landrieu campaign team was quick to point out, Coburn’s political action committee gave $10,000 to the campaign of Landrieu’s election opponent, Republican state Treasurer John Kennedy.

Coburn was not only blocking a bill, he was thwarting Landrieu’s ability to get a win.

Analysts estimate that Hurricane Gustav alone created $750 million in damage to Louisiana crops when it hit in September.
Landrieu had bi-partisan support for her legislation, with four of Coburn’s fellow Republicans signing onto the bill.

Landrieu enlisted the aid of U.S. Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., who authored the disaster relief provision in the farm bill.