U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-Lillington) and other House Democrats will hold a conference call with reporters on Tuesday, September 26 at 11:00 a.m. to discuss a discharge petition that would require the U.S. House of Representatives to debate and consider agriculture disaster assistance before Congress recesses on Friday.
Etheridge is a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee and Co-Chair of the Rural Working Group.
Etheridge has sent a letter to House Speaker Dennis Hastert, and Majority Leader John Boehner asking them to schedule a vote on emergency agriculture disaster assistance for 2005 and 2006 before the House leaves for October recess. Floods, droughts and other natural disasters have negatively impacted the nation’s farmers in 2005 and 2006.
North Carolina has not had any federally declared disasters that would be covered under this legislation, however, the state’s farmers have struggled from a ripple effect as the cost of feed has risen due to drought and flooding in other regions of the country. North Carolina has received agriculture disaster relief in the past and as a hurricane-prone state may likely need it again in the future. It is critical that Congress maintain a standard of providing relief in a timely manner.
House Democrats have tried several times over the last year using various legislative methods to pass emergency disaster assistance, but the efforts have failed on party-line votes. The Senate has included assistance in its agriculture appropriations bill.
The letter may be viewed here.