As Congress continues its recess and activists across the
country attempt to educate their elected officials on the problems with
the current farm and food stamp bill, we wanted to provide the main
questions that our folks are receiving on the road and their best
factual response, all in one post. Here you go, and we hope you find
its useful.
How much does the so-called “farm bill”—the Federal Agriculture and Risk Management Act (H.R. 6083)—cost?
According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the bill costs $957 billion over ten years. The last farm bill, enacted in 2008, cost $604 billion over ten years. This bill amounts to a 60% increase in farm and food aid since the last reauthorization.
Doesn’t H.R. 6083 “save” money?
Not in any real world sense. As stated, the bill includes policies that over ten years will cost 63% more than the previous authorization. It is only because the Congressional Budget Office must ignore the expiration date of these programs and assume their continuation into eternity—including the Obama food stamp expansions—that the bill can be judged to “save” $35 billion. This is really just Washington-speak for spending 3.5% less than expected ($957 billion instead of $992 billion)—it’s not a cut.
Isn’t H.R. 6083 really mislabeled as a farm bill given how much food stamp spending it includes?
Yes. 80% of H.R. 6083’s spending is comprised of food stamp spending. This is because there are now 46 million individuals on food stamps, compared with 30 million in 2008 and 17 million in 2000. The reduction in the rate of growth to the food stamp program contemplated by the bill equals just $16 billion or 2%—not the sort of reforms that will lead to rolling back the food stamp program. This is one reason why most conservatives are so intent on splitting up the bill between its food stamp and farm subsidy components.
Read more: http://heritageaction.com/2012/08/farm-bill-question-answer/?utm_source=heritageaction&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=farm-bill-qa
How much does the so-called “farm bill”—the Federal Agriculture and Risk Management Act (H.R. 6083)—cost?
According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the bill costs $957 billion over ten years. The last farm bill, enacted in 2008, cost $604 billion over ten years. This bill amounts to a 60% increase in farm and food aid since the last reauthorization.
Doesn’t H.R. 6083 “save” money?
Not in any real world sense. As stated, the bill includes policies that over ten years will cost 63% more than the previous authorization. It is only because the Congressional Budget Office must ignore the expiration date of these programs and assume their continuation into eternity—including the Obama food stamp expansions—that the bill can be judged to “save” $35 billion. This is really just Washington-speak for spending 3.5% less than expected ($957 billion instead of $992 billion)—it’s not a cut.
Isn’t H.R. 6083 really mislabeled as a farm bill given how much food stamp spending it includes?
Yes. 80% of H.R. 6083’s spending is comprised of food stamp spending. This is because there are now 46 million individuals on food stamps, compared with 30 million in 2008 and 17 million in 2000. The reduction in the rate of growth to the food stamp program contemplated by the bill equals just $16 billion or 2%—not the sort of reforms that will lead to rolling back the food stamp program. This is one reason why most conservatives are so intent on splitting up the bill between its food stamp and farm subsidy components.
Read more: http://heritageaction.com/2012/08/farm-bill-question-answer/?utm_source=heritageaction&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=farm-bill-qa
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