Thursday: Inching forward on the Senate farm bill

The Senate meets at 9:30 a.m., again to make whatever minimal progress it can on the farm bill, while senators negotiate off the floor on a final list of amendments that might be considered.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said on Wednesday that he is still working with Republicans on a final list, and that in the meantime, the Senate would start dealing with amendments a few at a time.

Thursday could see votes on two Republican amendments. One, from Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), would eliminate some land conservation programs. The other, from Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), would make all mandatory programs in the bill subject to annual appropriations.

The Senate is likely to strike these down, just as it struck down two other amendments on Wednesday, to replace federal food stamps with a state block grant program and to repeal the sugar program.

The Senate might also consider two Democratic amendments that Reid made in order. One, from Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), would require more clarity to farmers on crop insurance programs. The other, from Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), would require reporting on rural broadband assistance.

Coburn on Wednesday said the Senate is dealing with a few "low-priority amendments" at a time "in the name of saying we are doing something," but said he would prefer an open amendment process.

Reid countered that a deal is trying to be worked out, and said the Senate might as well handle a few at a time. "Why sit around and twiddle our thumbs?" he asked.

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