There is a lot talk these days about “completing” the 2018 farm bill on time. Lawmakers have their countdown clocks set to September 30, 2018 for completing the farm bill before the current law expires on that date which is the end of the federal fiscal year. Over 150 farm interest groups sent a letter…
The U.S. House Science, Space, and Technology Committee has unanimously approved the National Institute of Standards and Technology Reauthorization Act of 2018 (H.R. 6229), introduced by Congresswoman Barbara Comstock (R-VA), Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Research and Technology. The U.S. House was scheduled to adopt H.R. 6229 by unanimous consent this week. However it no…
On August 1, the U.S. Senate named the following members to negotiate the legislative discrepancies between the House and Senate versions of H.R. 2, the 2018 Farm Bill: Republicans Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (KY) Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (KS) John Boozman (AR) John Hoeven (ND) Joni Ernst (IA) Democrats Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Debbie…
Today Vicente Sarmiento, Board of Director, Orange County Water District (OCWD), Orange County, California testified before the US Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. We found his testimony exemplary in showcasing the financial benefits of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (@EPA) Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (#WIFIA) Program by saving Orange County drinking water…
They say history repeats itself. After the U.S. House defeated 198-213, H.R. 2, The Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 on May 18 history did repeat itself – albeit with some different nuances when comparing it to the last reauthorization of the Farm Bill in 2014. Below is a chart listing alphabetically current Republican Members…
The U.S. House failed to adopt H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, 198-213. Speaker Ryan introduced a motion to reconsider the vote on H.R. 2. This vote has been postponed and it is yet to be determined when it will occur. Of the total 112 amendments submitted, 51 amendments were Made In Order. …
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During the 2014 Farm Bill Congress authorized the Plant Pest & Disease and Disaster Management Program and National Clean Plant Network (Section 10007, P.L. 113-79), a highly successful & collaborative biological program to help combat threats posed to U.S. agriculture by numerous invasive plant pests and diseases. Congress mandated that the program funds be targeted…
In our blog post on March 7, 2017, we highlighted that 39 programs in the 2014 Farm Bill do not maintain a budget baseline beyond the current fiscal year, FY 2018. These programs had estimated mandatory spending totaling $2.824 billion over the five-year window of the 2014 Farm Bill from FY 2014-2018. After review of…
There are 2.2 million miles of drinking water pipelines throughout the U.S. @AWWAACE says most of our buried drinking water infrastructure was built 50 or more years ago, in the post-World War II era of rapid demographic change and economic growth. In some older urban areas, many water mains have been in the ground for…
At the end of February, both Republicans and Democrats serving on the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture joined together in sending their annual letter to the House Budget Committee containing their views and estimates regarding the upcoming FY 2019 budget. Pursuant to the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 each congressional standing committee, like the Committee…
The Department of Defense has expressed concerns about delays at FDA. In a Politico article on December 13, 2017, titled, “How to Reboot the FDA,” the Department of Defense (DOD), with the help of some Members of Congress tried an end-run around the the FDA and sought authority to approve its own medical products. The…
The Department of Interior’s U.S. Geological Survey (@USGS) National Water Use Science Project (NWUSP) recently released preliminary water-use estimates for 2015. @USGS has provided estimates of water use in the U.S. every 5 years since 1950. 87% of U.S. Population Served Potable Drinking Water by Public-supply Water Systems From 2010 to 2015 the U.S. population…
After talks with members of leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives, K. Michael Conaway (R-TX), Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture is signaling that congressional action on a new Farm Bill will happen in the first quarter of 2018. It is likely the House and Senate will remain busy with tax reform…
On November 16 the U.S. House of Representatives adopted HR 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, 227-205, Thirteen Republicans joined all Democrats in opposing the measure. Republicans opposing the measure included conservative members concerned with increasing the U.S. debt and those in congressional districts that would be significantly impacted by the inability to deduct state…
