WASHINGTON, Oct. 28, 2013 – The week will be dominated by the long-anticipated start of the farm bill conference, which is set for Wednesday, as lawmakers formally sit down and try to resolve a myriad of differences between the House package and the Senate bill.
The first farm bill conference meeting will largely involve opening statements from each of the 41 conferees, with lawmakers expected to each speak up to five minutes or more.
After Wednesday, staff members are expected to continue to huddle and iron out differences. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, R-Okla., and ranking member Collin Peterson, D-Minn., have stated that more public meetings may not be necessary if significant progress is made at the staff level.
Meanwhile, Rep. Kristi Noem, R-S.D., said recently she anticipates more than one conference meeting as conferees work to iron out differences.
“I do think we will have other conference meetings,” Noem said. “This is just the first. But they haven’t laid out exactly what that schedule will be, and maybe we’ll get more of those answers at that first meeting.”
Noem said she expects further conference meetings to be open.
“Unless you have the discussion in public, sometimes people wonder if there may be more in the bill than what gets talked about,” Noem said. “So, for me, I like the open door policy. I tell people all the time one of my best days on the Hill was the day we marked up the farm bill in committee because it was such an open process and we could debate amendments back and forth.”
Noem outlined how the reforms to the food stamp program might be resolved during a recent meeting with producers in her state. To listen: http://www.agri-pulse.com/Audio-Monday.asp
“When you have your leadership team telling me we’re going to get it done…no matter what, I’m going to hold them to their word,” Noem said.
In another event, President Obama will attend a memorial service Tuesday for former House Speaker Tom Foley, D-Wash., at the Capitol. Foley died last Friday at 84. Obama has praised him as a “legend of the United States Congress.”
The week’s tentative events include:
Monday, Oct. 28.
12:00 p.m. The House will meet for morning hour debate.
2:00 p.m. The House will convene for legislative business with votes postponed until 6:30 p.m.
2:00 p.m. The Senate will convene for a period of morning business.
4:00 p.m. USDA Report: Monthly Milk Cost of Production
4:00 p.m. USDA Report: Crop Progress
4:30 p.m. The Senate will proceed to an executive session to consider a nomination to the National Labor Relations Board.
5:30 p.m. The Senate will hold a procedural vote on the NLRB nomination.
Tuesday, Oct. 29.
President Obama will attend a memorial service for former House Speaker Tom Foley, D-Wash., at the Capitol.
10:00 a.m. The House will meet for morning hour debate.
10:00 a.m. The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Energy and Power will hold a hearing on the North American Energy Infrastructure Act (H.R. 3301) in 2123 Rayburn.
10:00 a.m. The House Ways and Means Committee will hold a hearing on “The Status of the Affordable Care Act Implementation” in 1100 Longworth.
10:30 a.m. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation will hold a hearing on “Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Authorization Issues” in 2167 Rayburn.
10:30 a.m. The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee’s Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet will hold a hearing on “Broadband Adoption: The Next Mile” in 253 Russell.
12:00 p.m. The House will convene for legislative business.
12:00 p.m. USDA Report: Rice Stocks
2:00 p.m. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold a markup of the Farmers Undertake Environmental Land Stewardship Act (H.R. 311) in 2167 Rayburn.
3:00 p.m. USDA Report: Peanut Stocks and Processing4:00 p.m. USDA Report: Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin (WAOB)
4:00 p.m. USDA Report: Livestock & Meat Domestic Data
4:00 p.m. USDA Report: Dairy Data
Wednesday, Oct. 30.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will travel to Little Rock, Ark., to deliver remarks at the 2013 Rooting Wealth Conference, and attend a farm bill-related event.
Deputy USDA Secretary Krysta Harden will address George Washington University’s Feeding the Planet Summit in Washington, D.C.
10:00 a.m. The House will meet for morning hour debate.
11:00 a.m. The Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing on “The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership: Achieving the Potential” in 215 Dirksen. 12:00 p.m. The House will convene for legislative business.
1:00 p.m. The House Agriculture Committee and the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee will hold a conference meeting on the farm bill in 1100 Longworth.
3:00 p.m. USDA Report: National Dairy Products Sales Report
3:00 p.m. USDA Report: Announcement of Class and Component Prices
3:00 p.m. USDA Report: Broiler Hatchery
Thursday, Oct. 31.
Happy Halloween!
8:30 a.m. USDA Report: U.S. Export Sales
3:00 p.m. USDA Report: Egg Products
3:00 p.m. USDA Report: Agricultural Prices
4:00 p.m. USDA Report: Fruit & Tree Nut Yearbook
Friday, Nov. 1.
3:00 p.m. USDA Report: Peanut Prices
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