NEW JOBS BILL IN SENATE INCORPORATES AGRICULTURE PROVISIONS
News Date March 02, 2010
For the second time in as many weeks, the Senate is working on what Democratic Leadership has dubbed as jobs legislation. Introduced by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.), the American Workers, State, and Business Relief Act restores and extends a multitude of programs and tax provisions, including unemployment insurance and COBRA health benefits, along with several small business provisions, tax deductions for teachers buying school supplies, and tax credits for energy-efficient homes. The legislation will certainly not be void of contentious debate, as issues such as the expired estate tax, which is set to be reinstated in 2011 at daunting levels for American farm families, as well as utilizing unspent stimulus funds to pay for many of these programs.
The legislation also includes the critical agriculture provisions that were removed from the jobs bill that passed the Senate on Feb. 25. As was previously reported, efforts were underway to ensure the federal biodiesel tax credit would be retroactively extended through the end of 2010 and provide critical disaster assistance to farmers and ranchers struggling from weather-related crop losses in 2009. NASDA President Ed Kee sent a letter last week to Senate Leadership urging they immediately work on legislation to address these key provisions. As Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) continues his controversial hold on a bill to grant a short term extension for several major programs, Senate leaders are behind closed doors debating the amendment process for the new jobs legislation. (Contact: David Hickey)