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Sen. Rand Paul not backing down on farm bill
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) made clear Wednesday that he is prepared to block further amendment votes on the farm bill unless he can secure votes on his amendments.
On Tuesday, Paul blocked a consent agreement to move forward with a select list paring down the 247 farm bill amendments that have been filed. He told reporters Wednesday that he is still pushing for a vote on an amendment that would end aid to Pakistan over the trial of a doctor who aided the United States in finding Osama bin Laden.
“We are seeing very little back and forth on my amendment,” he said.
Paul denied accusations by Senate Agriculture Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) that he and other fiscal conservatives were simply trying to “throw sand” and stop the farm bill altogether.
“I want to reform it. Eighty percent of the farm bill doesn’t go to farms,” he said. “The American people don’t want food stamps going to buy junk food, to be used at McDonald’s.”
The Senate did hold two symbolic votes on two farm bill amendments on Wednesday, including on Paul’s amendment to block grant and cap the entire food assistance program. That was defeated along with one to end U.S. sugar price supports and import quotas.
“They can’t just throw us two bones,” Paul said. “It sounds to me like someone is ruling with an iron fist.”
He said he is pushing the Pakistan amendment because he thinks it will pass.
“Eighty percent of Americans are against foreign aid,” he said.
If a bipartisan agreement on amendments list cannot be reached, the Senate farm bill may be pulled from the floor. Alternatively, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) could gamble and try to hold a cloture vote, daring the GOP to vote down the farm bill on procedural grounds.
The farm bill cuts the deficit by $23.6 billion, and supporters note that it is a rare spending bill that enjoys bipartisan support.
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