Washington, D.C. – “House Republicans voted today for a ‘farm only’ farm bill that expands crop insurance subsidies for the most successful farm businesses and fails to renew programs that help feed the nation’s hungriest children,” Environmental Working Group said in a statement.
Scott Faber, EWG’s Senior Vice President for Government Affairs, added:
“After repeatedly voting to deny health insurance to kids, the Republicans overwhelmingly turned their backs on hungry kids and voted to increase unlimited insurance subsidies for the most profitable farmers.
“The ‘farm only’ farm bill passed today by House Republicans – over the objections of everyone from the American Farm Bureau to the Heritage Foundation – is, simply put, the most fiscally irresponsible piece of farm legislation in history. This bill not only increases unlimited insurance subsidies, but also increases price guarantees for major crops and creates new subsidy programs for farm businesses. This bill locks in these new income subsidies for eternity under the guise of ‘reform.’
“No one who voted for this terrible farm bill can reasonably claim to be fiscally conservative. At a time of record farm profits and record fiscal deficits, lawmakers should reject – not expand – the sort of needless corporate welfare that causes Americans to lose faith in Congress.”
