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Congressman Randy Neugebauer (R-TX) released the following statement on the Farm Bill.  H.R. 1947, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, failed to pass the House of Representatives by a vote of 195-234.  

“I’m disappointed that we didn’t pass a five-year farm bill,” Neugebauer said.  “The House Agriculture Committee put together a good bill with $40 billion in spending reductions and significant reforms to nutrition assistance.  Through an open amendment process—which included some that I offered—we improved on that draft.  We agreed on provisions that would allow states to implement work requirements and drug tests before distributing nutrition benefits.  This legislation would have moved us to a more efficient, market-based system of crop support that only paid out in bad seasons. 

“Unfortunately, without this bill, we won’t see those reforms.  The current extension of the farm bill expires in September, and our farmers and ranchers are looking for some certainty, so I’ll keep working to develop good policy on their behalf.”