WASHINGTON,
Dec. 8, 2014 – Lawmakers are hurrying to wrap up work on spending legislation before
the temporary measure that is currently funding the government expires on
Thursday.
Appropriators
have been working the final details of an omnibus spending bill that would fund
most of the government through the rest of fiscal 2015. House members are designing
what they call a “cromnibus,” because it would include a continuing resolution
that would only partially extend funding for the Department of Homeland
Security.
The
Senate, meanwhile, has yet to act on a House-passed bill to reinstate of a
series of tax breaks, including the biodiesel tax credit and Section 179 small
business expensing provision.
House
and Senate appropriators have been negotiating a number of key items important
to the agriculture and food sectors, including some possible relief to school
districts that are having trouble meeting the Department of Agriculture’s new
whole-grains requirements for meals. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said last week
that the final bill would offer some kind of flexibility to schools but he
wouldn’t go into detail.
House
Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said
on Friday that Democrats were concerned about several “very destructive”
policy riders in the bill, singling out the nutrition issue for one. The riders
show “a big distinction in who cares about the nutrition of our children, the
clean water for our families.” But when pressed by reporters she said that none
of the riders was a deal breaker.
Hoeven
also indicated that the final bill is likely to override a USDA decision this
year to bar low-income women from using their WIC benefits to buy white
potatoes.
The
California drought also will get some attention this week. The House will vote as
soon as Tuesday on another drought-relief bill for the state. Although it’s
scaled back from the version that Republicans pushed through the House earlier
this year, H.R.
5781 doesn’t appear to have any future in the Senate because of its impact
on environmental protections. Rep. Jim Costa, D-Calif., worked on the bill with
his GOP colleagues, but the state’s Democratic senators were not part of the negotiations.
Agricultural
biotechnology will be front and center in Washington on Wednesday. A House
Energy and Commerce subcommittee holds a hearing on Kansas Rep. Mike Pompeo’s
industry-backed bill, H.R.
4432, that’s intended to block states from imposing labeling requirements
on foods containing genetically engineered ingredients. The witnesses will
include at least one official from the Food and Drug Administration.
FDA
staff members also will be across town Wednesday morning at the National Research Council, which will hold a public meeting
on the future prospects for genetically engineered crops. The speakers will
include FDA, USDA and EPA staff as well as industry representatives.
Here’s
a list of agriculture- or rural-related events scheduled for this week in
Washington and elsewhere: If you’d like the latest Washington news in
your inbox every day, Sign
up NOW for a four-week FREE trial
subscription
Monday, Dec. 8
A Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) officials' meeting will take place in Washington from Dec. 8-12, according to Canadian officials. USTR Ambassador Froman and Secretary Vilsack will host the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee (APAC)/Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees (ATAC) Winter Plenary.
Tuesday, Dec. 9
10
a.m. Commodity
Futures Trading Commission’s agricultural advisory committee meets.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will brief the panel on the state of the
agricultural economy.1155 21st St. NW
12:15
p.m. International
Food Policy Research Institute launches new report on country-level progress toward reducing malnutrition. Event will be
webcast.
Wednesday, Dec.
10
10
a.m. Senate
Agriculture Committee holds a hearing, “The Commodity Futures Trading
Commission: Effective Enforcement and the Future of Derivatives Regulation.”
The panel will examine CFTC’s recent activities, the resources the commission
needs to do its job, and how the CFTC plans to complete its responsibilities
under the Dodd-Frank Act. 328A Russell.
10 a.m. House
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee holds a hearing on
drones, called “U.S. Unmanned Aircraft Systems: Integration, Oversight, and Competitiveness.”
The witnesses will include representatives of the Federal Aviation
Administration, Government Accountability Office, and the Department of Transportation’s
inspector general. 2167 Rayburn
10:15 a.m. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee
on Health will hold a hearing titled “Examining
FDA’s Role in the Regulation of Genetically Modified Food Ingredients.” The
panel will discuss H.R. 4432, the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act, and hear
from the FDA and interested stakeholders about FDA’s current review process for
food ingredients. It will also discuss the role that foods with genetically
modified ingredients play in the U.S. food supply and economy. 2123 Rayburn.
10:30 a.m. The National Research
Council holds an open meeting on "Genetically Engineered Crops: Past
Experience and Future Prospects. An NRC panel will hear from scientists using
novel genetic engineering (GE) techniques to introduce new traits into crops
and listen to staff from USDA, EPA, and FDA describe their agencies' experience
in overseeing GE crop regulation. The committee will also hear from
representatives of companies that produce GE seeds for commodities (corn, soy,
cotton, canola) about a range of issues. An agenda may be found here. At the National Academy of Sciences in Washington.
12
p.m. USDA releases monthly WASDE and Crop Production reports plus a report on
Cotton Ginnings.
1
p.m. EPA’s Pesticide
Program Dialogue Committee holds Pollinator Workshop Meeting. 2777 S.
Crystal Dr., Arlington
3
p.m. USDA releases Broiler Hatchery report.
4
p.m. USDA releases Season-Average Price Forecasts and Aquaculture Data.
Thursday, Dec.
11
All
day: Farm
Journal Forum. The speakers will include Vilsack, Senate Agriculture
Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, Darci Vetter, chief agriculture
negotiator for the U.S. trade representative, and Mike Stern, COO of The
Climate Corp. Sara Wyant, president and editor of Agri-Pulse, will moderate a
discussion, “Packing Political Punch.” Loews Madison Hotel
8:30
a.m. USDA releases Weekly Export Sales.
10
a.m. Senate
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee holds an oversight hearing
on President Obama’s executive order for improving the safety of chemical
plants. 406 Dirksen.
10
a.m. The
House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Power holds a hearing
on “The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975:
Are We Positioning America for Success in an Era of Energy Abundance?” 2123
Rayburn
Friday, Dec. 12
1
p.m. USDA releases outlooks for wheat, cotton and wool and oil crops.
3
p.m. USDA releases Potato Stocks and Peanut Prices reports.
4
p.m. USDA releases outlooks for feed and rice.
#30
For
more news, go to: www.Agri-Pulse.com
