In June, the Senate passed to the House a new farm bill that, maintaining funding for wood exporting and lacking language to alter the Lacey Act, enjoys the support of the Hardwood Federation; however, there are a number of factors working against the House's chances of passing that bill on to President Obama before the approaching election, according to Dana Lee Cole, the Hardwood Federation's executive director.
Even though there exists bipartisan support for moving the bill, there are only eight legislative days on Congress's calendar before the election on Nov. 6, "and passage in that time would be tough," Cole said. One option available to legislators is a one-year extension of the farm bill currently in use; however, the farming community opposes this. Still, "Republican leaders may be concerned about highlighting VP candidate Paul Ryan's record in favor of cutting farm programs before election day," Cole said.
During deliberations, one proposed amendment from Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., that would have removed criminal penalties and all references to foreign law from the Lacey Act was withdrawn in June. Another amendment offered by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., would have cut USDA Market Access Program (MAP) funding, which includes the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), by $40 million annually to a total of $160 million per year; that amendment was defeated by a vote of 69-30.
A breakdown of the Senate's farm bill vote can be viewed here. A breakdown of voting on Sen. Coburn's amendment can be viewed here.
