Falling short

The Senate is now debating the Brown amendment that would take money out of federal crop insurance to put into nutrition programs. Meanwhile, the Dorgan Grassley amendment fell a few votes short (it got 56) of the supermarjority (it needed 60). Reaction from Sen. Tom Harkin;:

Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today issued the following statement after the Senate voted on the Dorgan-Grassley amendment to the farm bill. Harkin is a cosponsor of the measure.
“Acceptance of this amendment would have meant common-sense limits on farm payments to individuals and married couples – long-overdue reform that enjoys broad popular support. Yet today’s vote is a missed opportunity. It had a majority of support, but failed to achieve a super majority that was required by opponents of the amendment. “There are several progressive elements of this farm bill – investments in renewable energy, conservation, nutrition and rural development in addition to a new income protection option for producers. The Dorgan-Grassley amendment would have complemented the farm bill. I have always supported payment limits and will continue to fight for a forward-looking, progressive bill.”