King: Farm Bill, Drought Assistance Cannot Wait

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Washington, DC- Congressman Steve King released the following statement after meeting with the Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee and his Republican colleagues on the Committee late this afternoon. The goal was to chart a way forward with House Leaders on the Farm Bill and other legislation aimed at addressing the record drought that is currently affecting large portions of the United States, including Iowa.

"As I have said for months, we need a Farm Bill," said King. "Farmers and producers rely on the predictability that a Farm Bill provides to make decisions about their operations for next year. Current authorization for federal farm programs will expire on September 30. This would be a troubling situation in any year, but with the record drought that's currently scorching Iowa and so many other states, the need for a Farm Bill - and the disaster assistance programs contained within it - is critical.

"I joined 79 other House Members in a bi-partisan letter to our leaders urging swift action on the bill, and I will continue to work with Chairman Lucas, Ranking Member Peterson, my Ag Committee colleagues, and every other interested Member in pressing House leaders to bring this bill to a vote before we return to our districts for the August work period. And I will also continue to work with my colleagues from Iowa to push for other legislative measures, like the Agriculture Disaster Assistance Act that we introduced as a state delegation, to specifically address some of the harmful effects of this drought. Since May, I have said I want this done by August. The drought makes its passage urgent, now."