CRAPO DISAPPOINTED FARM BILL LEFT IN LIMBO

Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Rural Revitalization, Conservation, Forestry and Credit, today issued the following statement regarding today's cloture vote on the Food and Energy Security Act of 2007. Crapo voted against cloture and continues to press for an open amendment process on the bill. The motion to invoke cloture, a procedure to limit debate and the amendment process, on the substitute amendment to H.R. 2419, the Farm Bill, failed to get the 60 votes necessary to proceed by a vote of 55 to 42.

"Our farm families and all Americans deserve strong federal farm policy," said Crapo. "Unfortunately, the Senate Majority Leader has chosen to waste the past two weeks, which could have been spent properly debating and voting on amendments to further shape the bill, by providing a closed process. It is especially disappointing that the first Senate vote on the Farm Bill is one to limit consideration of the measure even more than it already has been limited. By now, the Senate should have had numerous votes on amendments if a fair and open process had been allowed.

"I cannot support these tactics," Crapo added. "The Farm Bill is far too important. That is why I voted against cloture. I am hopeful that Senate Leadership will work in the coming weeks to reengage a Farm Bill debate process that allows this essential legislation to move forward in a fair and open process. Farmers and ranchers across this nation deserve no less"


To link directly to Crapo's floor speech on the Farm Bill, please go to http://crapo.senate.gov/media/audio_2007.cfm