Prior to the address Senator Lincoln had already expressed her interest in having the committee take up child nutrition reauthorization, implementing the 2008 farm bill programs, commodity regulation, and international trade. The Senator reiterated those priorities on Tuesday. Noticeably left out of the list of issues is climate change. The Senator, who is also a member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, has previously stated that the Senate should focus on passing the renewable energy legislation that came out of that committee. It is her concern that combining renewable energy legislation with climate change legislation may prevent both bills from becoming law. As she said to the cattlemen, “Adding climate change legislation to the reforms already included in the Senate Energy Committee’s proposal is going to be a challenge in my view.”
Going further, according to her prepared remarks, the Senator told the association the following:
“I am opposed to the House passed cap-and-trade legislation, which in my view, picks winners and losers and places a disproportionate share of the economic burden on families and businesses in Arkansas. It is a deeply flawed bill, and I will not support similar legislation in the Senate . . . As Chairman, I have some specific agriculture-related concerns. Under a cap-and-trade bill, crops like cotton and rice and our livestock industries could face higher energy costs without the added benefit of being able to sequester significant amounts of carbon . . . Whether it is cattle, poultry, or catfish, the potential for higher feeds prices under a cap-and-trade bill are a major concern . . . I plan to weigh in with Chairman Boxer in the next few weeks to share some ideas and ensure that the interests of producers are taken into account during any cap-and-trade process in the Senate.”Senator Lincoln also told those in attendance that, as the daughter of a rice farmer, she appreciates the investment in time and energy it takes to build up a farming operation, and “A family farm or business should be something than (sic) can live on as long as the family has the will and ability to properly care for it.” To that end, the Senator told the association that she is in favor of reforming the estate tax before it reverts to a rate of 55 percent in 2011.
Senator Boxer may become frustrated with Senator Lincoln before too long. In addition to saying she can’t support the cap-and-trade bill in its current form, Lincoln also said she has concerns over the Clean Water Restoration Act that passed out of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. This legislation would replace the phrase “navigable waters” in the land mark Clean Water Act with the new phrase “waters of the United States.” This change has concerned many farmers and property owners over what would constitute a violation, what waters are covered in “waters of the United States,” and how much authority the Environmental Protection Agency will have over private lands. As Lincoln put it, “We certainly don’t want to give EPA the broad authority that would allow them onto your farms to regulate ponds, ditches, and gutters.”
As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Lincoln is heavily involved in trade negotiations and agreements and expects to continue her involvement in working towards opening up international markets to U.S. agricultural products. Lincoln would also like to end the Cuban trade embargo.
In other news involving Senator Lincoln, the new chair has named a Staff Director for the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. According TMCnews online, Robert Holifield will take on the position. Holifield is a native of Blytheville, Arkansas and a graduate from Arkansas State University. Prior to his new post, Holifield served as Deputy Chief of Staff for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Prior to that, he served as CFTC’s Acting Director of External Affairs and Chief of Staff for Commissioner Bart Chilton. CFTC is under the jurisdiction of the Senate Agriculture Committee. Holifield was also a policy advisor for agriculture and international trade for Senator Lincoln’s personal office from 2000-2007.
To see a copy of Lincoln’s remarks to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association click here.
To read the TMC.net’s story on Holifield click here.
Posted: 09/16/09
