By Sara Wyant
© Copyright Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc.
WASHINGTON, June 12 – With both the House and Senate in session this week, there are plenty of hearings scheduled throughout the week, but farm groups will be closely watching the outcome of the Rules Committee meeting Monday afternoon. That’s when House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, R-Okla., plans to make his case that his authorizing committee, rather than the Appropriations Committee, ought to be making decisions on how future farm policy is shaped.
The Rules Committee will determine how the Agricultural Appropriations bill can be debated and amended when it hits the House floor, perhaps as early asTuesday.
Just two weeks ago, the House Appropriations Committee adopted a series of amendments that will influence farm programs and trade commitments. One amendment would reduce the maximum adjusted gross income (AGI) for those qualifying for farm program payments from $750,000 to $250,000. Another would move funds for cotton direct payments to the settlement of a World Trade Organization (WTO) case with Brazil, and then further redirect that settlement money to the Women, Infant and Children program.
Several other amendments are also expected to be offered, potentially cutting a wide variety of other USDA programs.
Tuesday will also be a busy one for ethanol advocates and foes. Sen. Tom Coburn's, R-Okla., amendment (#436) to immediately repeal the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) is expected to be up for a cloture vote on Tuesday as part of the Economic Development Revitalization Act debate before the U.S. Senate. Senator Jim DeMint, R-S.C., announced that he backs Coburn and also plans to offer an amendment to repeal the renewable fuels standard that requires blenders to use ethanol.
"Unfortunately, Washington's bad ethanol policies don't end with just subsidies and tariffs, we must also repeal the mandate, which my amendment would do,” said Senator DeMint, whose amendment will also permanently repeal the death tax.
For more hearings and events this week:
Monday June 13, 2011:
The Senate and the House are in session at 2 p.m.
10:00 a.m., House Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Water and Power will hold a hearing on H.R. 1837 to address certain water-related concerns of the San Joaquin River, and for other purposes. 1443 Longworth House Office Building.
12:30 p.m., Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will speak at a National Press Club luncheon in advance of attending the G-20 Summit of Agricultural Ministers in Paris on June 23. Vilsack will discuss how the continued innovation and creativeness of scientists, farmers and policy-makers is essential to confront the combined challenges of feeding a growing global population, mitigating the effects of climate change, and meeting increasing energy demands at home and abroad. The Secretary will also address the importance of maintaining open, transparent markets for trading food and agricultural goods, as well as address misconceptions about the production of U.S. biofuels. 529 14th St. NW, 13th Floor.
1:30 p.m., House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Energy and Power will hold a hearing on H.R. 2054, the “Energy and Revenue Enrichment Act of 2011”. 2123 Rayburn House Office Building.
8:00 p.m. First GOP Presidential candidate debate in New Hampshire. will air nationally on CNN. Seven candidates will be onstage: Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, businessman Herman Cain, and Reps. Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul.
Other Events in Washington: National Biodiesel Board of Directors Meeting, 2011 American Agri-Women Fly-In, U.S. Cattlemen’s Association Fly-In
USDA Reports: Feed Outlook, Wheat Outlook, Potato Stocks, Crop Progress, and Aquaculture Data
8:00 p.m. First GOP Presidential candidate debate in New Hampshire
9:30 a.m., U.S. Commodity Future Trading Commission will hold a public meeting to consider effective dates of provisions in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. CFTC’s Hearing Room, 1155 21st, NW.
9:30 a.m., House Committee on Oversight & Government Reform will hold a hearing on “Achieving Transparency and Accountability in Federal Spending”. 2154 Rayburn House Office Building.
10:00 a.m., Senate Committee On Energy and Natural Resources full committee will review preparations for the 2011 wildfire season and the wildfire management programs on the Federal land management agencies. 366 Dirksen Senate Office Building.
10:00 a.m., House Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs will hold a legislative hearing on H.R. 946, To amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 on endangered Columbia River salmon, and for other purposes. “Endangered Salmon Predation Prevention Act”. 1342 Longworth House Office Building.
10:00 a.m., House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, will hold a hearing on “Creating Jobs and Increasing U.S. Exports by Enhancing the Marine Transportation System”. 2167 Rayburn House Office Building.
10:00 a.m., House Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands will hold a hearing on six pieces of legislation. 1334 Longworth House Office Building.
3:00 p.m. The House Rules Committee will meet on to consider H.R. 1249, the America Invents Act in H-313 Capitol
Other Events in Washington: Farm Foundation Forum ‘Rural Development in an Era of Fiscal Restraint’ at the National Press Club, National Biodiesel Boart Meeting, and 2011 American Agri-Women Fly-In
USDA Reports: Sugar and Sweeteners Outlook
Wednesday June 15, 2011:
9:30 a.m., Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, will hold a hearing entitled, “One Year Later –The Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act”. 328A Russell Senate Office Building.
10:00 a.m., Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, full committee hearing entitled, “The Clean Air Act and Public Health”. 406 Dirksen Senate Office Building.
10:00 a.m., House Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Immigration Policy and Enforcement will hold a hearing on the “Legal Workforce Act”. 2141 Rayburn House Office Building.
1:00 p.m., House Committee on Small Business, the full committee will hold a hearing on, “Lifting the Weight of Regulations: Growing Jobs by Reducing Regulatory Burdens”. 2360 Rayburn House Office Building.
2:00 p.m., House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, Subcommittee on Energy and Environment will hold a hearing on the DOE Clean Technology Programs. 2318 Rayburn House Office Building.
Other Events in Washington: National Council of Farmer Cooperatives Conference, National Biodiesel Board Meeting, and American Agri-Women Fly-In
USDA Reports: Livestock Dairy, and Poultry Outlook, Meat Price Spreads, Broiler Hatchery, Turkey Hatchery, and Cost of Production Forecast
Thursday June 16, 2011:
9:30 a.m., House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Energy and Power will hold the tenth day of its hearing on “The American Energy Initiative”. 2322 Rayburn House Office Building.
10:00 a.m., House Committee on Small Business, Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Capital Access and Tax, will hold a hearing on, “The Dodd-Frank Act: Impact on Small Business Lending”. 2360 Rayburn House Office Building.
10:00 a.m., House Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources will hold a legislative hearing on, H.R. __, To amend the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act of 1976 to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct an expeditious program of competitive leasing of oil and gas in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, including at least one lease sale in the Reserve each year in the period 2011 through 2021, and for other purposes, "The National Petroleum Reserve Alaska Access Act”. 1324 Longworth House Office Building.
10:00 a.m., Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, Full Committee and Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety joint hearing entitled, "Oversight Hearing: the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Preliminary Results of the Nuclear Safety Review in the United States following the Emergency at the Fukushima Daiichi Power Plant in Japan." 406 Dirksen Senate Office Building.
10:00 a.m., Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, will hold a hearing on “An Examination of SBA Programs: Eliminating Inefficiencies, Duplications, Fraud, and Abuse”. 428-A Russell Senate Office Building.
1:00 p.m., USDA The Office of the Undersecretary for Food Safety, USDA, is sponsoring a public meeting to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft the U.S. positions that will be discussed at the 34th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which will be held in Geneva, Switzerland on July 4-9, 2011. Jamie Whitten Building, Room 107-A.
Other Events in Washington: 14th Annual Congressional Renewable Energy Expo, 9:30 a.m. Cannon House Office Building, and National Council of Farmer Cooperatives Conference.
USDA Reports: U.S. Export Sales, Apples, Grapes, and Pears: World Markets and Trade
Friday June 17, 2011:
Other Events in Washington: National Council of Farmer Cooperatives Conference.
USDA Reports: Dairy Products Prices, Peanut Prices, Milk Production, and Cattle on Feed
To add your event to our calendar, please contact: Sara@agri-pulse.com
For other Agri-Pulse news stories, go to: http://www.agri-pulse.com/
#30