The full-year USDA spending bill, made part of the bill that reopened the government, was a rare point of bipartisan agreement in a sea of disagreement as the House voted this week. KHJ Washington correspondent Matt Kaye reports…
The USDA spending bill, one of just three full-year spending bills passed and key for American Samoa, pleased both parties.
Top Ag Appropriations Democrat Sanford Bishop:
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[Transc.] Bishop: “It fully funds SNAP and WIC, replenishes the SNAP and WIC contingency fund and fully funds cash value vouchers for fruits and vegetables for women and children. It also helps rural America, funding water and wastewater programs at $446 million.”
And Ag Appropriations Chair Andy Harris, head of the fiscally conservative Freedom Caucus…
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[Transc.] Harris: “The Agriculture bill provides 26-point-65 (B) billion in discretionary spending, which is level with the current amounts…while also including community project funding.”
…and help for producers…
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[Transc.] Harris: “This bill provides critical support to our nation’s farmers, ranchers and rural communities. It ensures both USDA and FDA can ensure our nation’s drug supply, and fully funds nutrition programs, including SNAP and WIC.”
…a key point of controversy during the shutdown fight.
Democrat Bishop meantime, said the bill had other pluses…
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[Transc.] Bishop: “The bill provides 1-point-8 (B) billion for the Agricultural Research Service, 1-point-6 (B) billion for NIFA. I’m pleased to see that the bill requires USDA to notify Congress before canceling grants of over a (M) million dollars.”
…another contentious fight Democrats had with the White House.
The bill also fully restarts the Farm Service Agency and Natural Resource Conservation, National Agricultural Statistics, and Agricultural Marketing Services, American Samoa depends on for grants, loans and data.
