News Update On Wednesday’s MILC Program Showdown

·         Food Stamp cuts eliminated from draft Senate bill
·         Leahy and others build support for MILC program extension

The question of extending the MILC program continues to dominate negotiations and press coverage in advance of Wednesday’s Senate Agriculture Committee showdown vote on the panel’s part of the budget reconciliation package.  After two more weeks of negotiations, Chairman Chambliss Tuesday morning announced that he has DROPPED the controversial Food Stamp cuts ($574 million, over five years) from the chairman’s mark.  Senator Leahy and others had urged elimination of the Food Stamp cuts.

In its counterpart reconciliation process, the House is considering cuts as large as $5 billion, over five years, in the Food Stamp program, though the extent of the cuts are not likely to be known until later this week.  The House also does not include an extension of the MILC program.

Leahy, a senior member and former chairman of the Agriculture Committee, has been working with others on the panel in fighting for the MILC program’s extension.  The MILC program extension – from now until 2007 when the next Farm Bill is to be completed – has been scored at $998 million over that time period.

“As usual, it’s the Perils of Pauline again when it comes to fairness for hard-working dairy farmers,” said Leahy.  “Renewing the MILC program will not be easy, but we have done all we can to strengthen our hand for this showdown vote, and beyond.”

Restoration of the Food Stamp cuts was accomplished by shifting advance payments in commodity programs.

When the Agriculture Committee meets on Wednesday to vote on the package (10 a.m., Room 328-A of the Russell Senate Office Building), Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) now is expected to offer an amendment to strike the MILC program extension.

“Misguided fiscal and policy choices have led us to this point, but we should do all we can to avoid compounding those bad decisions by taking food away from those who are struggling the most in our society,” said Leahy.  “I commend Chairman Chambliss for making the extra effort to remedy the Food Stamp cuts in this bill.”  Leahy has long championed the hunger and nutrition programs under the Agriculture Committee’s jurisdiction.

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