Farm Bill Remains Gridlocked As Key Senate Vote Fails

News Date November 20, 2007

        The Senate failed to break the gridlock on the 2007 farm bill when lawmakers defeated a motion to invoke cloture (cut off debate) on November 16 by a vote of 55 to 42. A cloture vote to limit debate requires sixty votes. NASDA and a large coalition of agriculture organizations sent a letter to senators before the vote urging them to move forward and pass the farm bill.

        The cloture vote was along party lines with all Democrats voting for cloture with only four Republicans joining them. The Republicans who voted for cloture were Sens. Norm Coleman (Minn.), Charles Grassley (Iowa), John Thune (S.D.), and Gordon Smith (Ore.). After the vote, both Democratic and Republican leaders expressed disappointment about the situation. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) held a press conference and said he was optimistic that Congress could pass the farm bill this year. Harkin said that negotiations would continue during the two-week Thanksgiving recess. He predicted there would be more cloture votes when Congress returns to work the week of December 4.

         The "procedural standoff" on the farm bill began November 6 after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) made a parliamentary move to limit amendments only to issues that are directly germane to the farm bill legislation. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and other Republican lawmakers objected and said they wanted to offer amendments on estate taxes, renewable fuels, and other issues. More than 250 amendments have been filed on a wide variety of issues. (Contact: Charlie Ingram)