House & Senate begin reconciling differences on a long-term Farm Bill package
WASHINGTON – D.C. – U.S. Rep. Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (PA-5) has issued the following statement after being appointed to serve on the bicameral conference committee charged with resolving differences between the House and Senate-passed Farm Bills:
“I am encouraged to see the House take this next step forward with the Senate on a long-term Farm Bill reauthorization,” stated Thompson. “I look forward to working with my counterparts in the Senate to reach a bipartisan agreement on a final product that will benefit farmers and taxpayers, which can pass both chambers, and be signed into law by the President.”
The House on Friday passed H. Res. 380, a resolution enabling the House to go to Conference with the Senate on the Farm Bill.
Thompson, chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy and Forestry, was formally appointed to the conference committee on Saturday.
“I am pleased to be at this point in the Farm Bill process where we are about to begin negotiations with our friends in the Senate and put a final bill together,” stated House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK). “There are challenging issues yet to overcome, but we have a solid team of negotiators in place. I am confident we can reach consensus and send a five-year Farm Bill to the President.”
The House conferees include 17 Republicans and 12 Democrats, including 21 Members who sit on the House Agriculture Committee. Additional information on the conferees can be found here.