WASHINGTON, June 17, 2013 – Let the real farm bill fun begin.
The House is expected to take up its five-year farm bill as early as Wednesday, on the heels of a relatively uneventful two-week debate in the Senate on its farm bill.
While passage was a foregone conclusion in the Senate, the House situation is a completely different creature. More than half of the current representatives have never cast a vote on a farm bill, leaving lawmakers and stakeholders unsure about passage.
The House Rules Committee has scheduled an emergency hearing for Monday to set the rules for floor debate. An open rule could set the scene for an avalanche of amendments, while a closed rule could turn off some of the lawmakers who possess a seasoned agriculture sense.
The bill could hit the floor Tuesday or Wednesday.
Other congressional action includes the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration holding a markup Tuesday of its FY 2014 agriculture appropriations bill.
Then, the full committee is scheduled to quickly follow up with a Thursday markup of the bill.
While all this is going on, the Senate will continue debate of its comprehensive immigration reform bill, which seeks to create a pathway to legal status for undocumented farm workers and millions of illegal immigrants.
Also, on Tuesday, the House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hold a markup of a bill (H.R. 1773) from Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., which seeks to reform the temporary agricultural guest worker program.
Meanwhile, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack will be making some stops around the country to push for the immigration reform bill and the farm bill. One stop includes Las Vegas.
The week’s events include:
Monday, June 17.
Vilsack will host a media conference to kick off Small Business Week in Washington, D.C.
Vilsack will host a Google Hangout on the StrikeForce Initiative.
12:00 p.m. The House will meet for morning hour debate.
2:00 p.m. The Senate will convene and be in a period of morning business.
2:00 p.m. The House will meet for legislative business with votes postponed until 6:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m. USDA Report: Turkey Hatchery
4:00 p.m. USDA Report: Bioenergy Data
4:00 p.m. USDA Report: Crop Progress
5:00 p.m. The House Rules Committee will hold an emergency meeting to consider a rule for the farm bill (H.R. 1947) in the Capitol H-313.
5:00 p.m. The Senate will proceed to an executive session to consider two judicial nominations.
5:30 p.m. The Senate will vote on the judicial nominations and then proceed to a legislative session to resume consideration of the comprehensive immigration reform bill (S. 744)
Tuesday, June 18.
Vilsack will address the National Rural League in Washington, D.C.
10:00 a.m. The House will meet for morning hour debate.
10:00 a.m. The Senate Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration will hold a markup of its FY 2014 agriculture appropriations bill in 192 Dirksen.
10:00 a.m. The House Judiciary Committee will hold a markup of the AG Act (H.R. 1773) in 2141 Rayburn. The legislation deals with the temporary agricultural guest worker program.
10:00 a.m. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on Highways and Transit will hold a hearing on “The Impacts of DOT’s Commercial Driver Hours of Service Regulation” in 2167 Rayburn.
10:00 a.m. USDA Report: Meat Price Spreads
10:30 a.m. The House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies will hold a markup of its FY 2014 Energy and Water Appropriations bill in 2362-B Rayburn.
10:00 a.m. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a markup of several bills, including S. 327, in 366 Dirksen. The bill would authorize the agriculture secretary and the interior secretary to enter into cooperative agreements with state foresters authorizing state foresters to provide certain forest, rangeland, and watershed restoration and protection services.
12:00 p.m. The House will meet for legislative business and may consider the farm bill (H.R. 1947).
1:00 p.m. USDA Report: Livestock, Dairy & Poultry Outlook
1:00 p.m. USDA Report: Sugar & Sweeteners Outlook
4:00 p.m. USDA Report: Feed Grains Database
4:00 p.m. USDA Report: Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin (WAOB)
Wednesday, June 19.
Vilsack will keynote address at the League of United Latin American Citizens in Las Vegas.
Acting USDA deputy secretary Michael Scuse will host a roundtable with rural and agriculture stakeholders in Raleigh, N.C.
10:00 a.m. The House will meet for morning hour debate.
10:00 a.m. The House Budget Committee will hold a markup of two budget reform bills (H.R. 1871, H.R. 1874) in 210 Cannon.
10:00 a.m. The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee will hold a hearing titled “Staying on Track: Next Steps in Improving Passenger and Freight Rail Safety” in 253 Russell.
11:00 a.m. The House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies will hold a markup of its FY 2014 transportation, housing and urban development appropriations bill in 2358-A Rayburn.
12:00 p.m. The House will meet for legislative business and may consider the farm bill (H.R. 1947).
3:00 p.m. USDA Report: Broiler Hatchery
3:00 p.m. USDA Report: National Dairy Products Sales Report
3:00 p.m. USDA Report: Milk Production
3:00 p.m. USDA Report: Announcement of Advance Prices and Pricing Factors
Thursday, June 20.
Vilsack will travel to New Mexico as part of a focus on the StrikeForce initiative, and to highlight the need for comprehensive immigration reform and a farm bill.
Scuse will address the 29th Universal Cotton Conference in Raleigh, N.C.
8:30 a.m. USDA Report: U.S. Export Sales
9:00 a.m. The House will meet for legislative business and may consider the farm bill (H.R. 1947). Last votes expected no later than 3:00 p.m.
9:30 a.m. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources will hold a hearing on water resource issues in the Klamath River Basin in 216 Hart.
10:30 a.m. The Senate Appropriations Committee will hold a markup of its FY 2014 agriculture appropriations bill in 106 Dirksen. Note: The committee may hold a markup of the FY 2014 military construction bill before the agriculture bill.
3:00 p.m. USDA Report: Catfish Feed Deliveries
3:00 p.m. USDA Report: Livestock Slaughter
3:00 p.m. USDA Report: Catfish Processing
Friday, June 21.
No votes expected in the House.
Vilsack will travel to Kansas City to highlight the need for comprehensive immigration reform and a farm bill.
3:00 p.m. USDA Report: Chicken and Eggs
3:00 p.m. USDA Report: Apples, Grapes and Pears: World Markets and Trade
3:00 p.m. USDA Report: Cold Storage
3:00 p.m. USDA Report: Cattle on Feed
3:00 p.m. USDA Report: Peanut Prices
3:00 p.m. USDA Report: Coffee: World Markets and Trade
4:00 p.m. USDA Report: Wheat Data
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