Rep. Paul Broun: Farm Bill Conference Report a Complete Disgrace

Your Washington Desk:

From Congressman Paul Broun:

U.S. Congressman Paul Broun, M.D. (GA-10), released the following statement after voting in opposition to the FARRM bill (H.R. 2642) Conference Report, which passed by a vote of 251-196.

“The Farm bill brought before the House today is a complete disgrace.  This bill fails to make any real reforms, re-joins the food stamp and farm programs which had been separated in the House bill, and somehow manages to exceed the spending levels of both chambers’ passed versions of this bill. While the House-passed version of this bill eliminated $40 billion in waste, fraud, and abuse in the food stamp program and the Senate-passed version cut $4 billion – only in Washington would the compromise be an $8 billion cut. Bottom line: with over $17 trillion in national debt, I find it simply irresponsible to support a bill with a nearly $1 trillion price tag that lacks any serious reforms to Washington’s out-of-control spending. These unsustainable programs are in need of urgent reform, and the Farm Bill fails to address that.”