Toomey Statement on Farm Bill

Member Group : U.S. Senator Pat Toomey

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 10, 2013

Contact:
E.R. Anderson (202) 224-8609

SENATOR TOOMEY’S STATEMENT ON FARM BILL

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) issued the following statement today following the vote on the farm bill.

"Farming is critical to Pennsylvania’s economy and our way of life. Pennsylvania’s dairy, livestock, and agriculture products supply and feed our state and the nation. I believe that there are many ways that the federal government can help foster a more competitive climate for our state’s farmers, but I am extremely disappointed that the Senate rejected multiple opportunities to reduce excessive spending and corporate welfare in this $1 trillion piece of legislation.

"I worked hard to make the bill better and offered amendments to reform our nation’s wasteful sugar, ethanol, and crop insurance programs that unfairly benefit well-connected special interests at the expense of hardworking taxpayers.

"Unfortunately, even though hundreds of amendments were proposed, the Senate only voted on a handful of amendments and rejected the proposal I cosponsored with Sen. Shaheen (D- N.H.) to roll back the government’s wasteful sugar program. This flawed policy hurts not only candy companies and food manufacturers, but every family who pays higher costs for food made with sugar.

"In addition, the Senate failed to even consider common-sense limitations to crop insurance premiums, particularly my amendment that would have saved taxpayers billions without harming the vast majority of farmers by capping crop insurance premium subsidies at $50,000 per year. This level is more than ten times what the average American farmer receives.

"For these and others reasons, I voted no on the farm bill today."

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Elizabeth "E.R." Anderson
Communications Director
U.S Senator Pat Toomey
248 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
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