Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has agreed to add the disaster aid provision to the small business bill that could be debated by the Senate this week. Previously, the disaster aid was part of the legislation to extend unemployment benefits (HR 4213), but all other provisions were taken out of the bill before it passed.
The disaster aid package "is based on legislation introduced by Chairman Lincoln and Senators Thad Cochran (R-MS) and Roger Wicker (R-MS)" last year. The aid would "provide benefits equivalent to 90 percent of the 2009 Direct Payment to growers who suffered crop losses in counties declared 'primary' disaster areas by USDA." The package also includes authority for $300 million to cover specialty crop losses and other assistance for livestock producers and cotton seed handlers. Chairman Lincoln is also trying to include funding for the Pigford settlement, "a long-standing black farmers' discrimination lawsuit against USDA."
The small business bill would provide a $30 billion lending fund for small businesses, according to CQ Politics.
To read the National Cotton Council story, click here.
To read the CQ Politics story, click here.
Posted: 07/28/2010
