Climate Bill in House Ag Tomorrow

House Agriculture Panel to Examine Climate Change Legislation
USAgNet - 06/09/2009

The House Agriculture Committee announced that it will consider climate change legislation at a hearing on June 11. Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) has been vocally skeptical of taking up the bill in part because of concerns about indirect land use issues in the revised renewable fuels standard. However, in recent days, he has made comments indicating he is open to efforts to ensure an appropriate agricultural piece is included in the final bill, and on Thursday, the Committee published responses to a climate change survey it issued in late March.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has reportedly told committee chairmen that they must complete mark-ups of the Waxman-Markey bill that passed the Energy and Commerce Committee last month by June 19. The bill has been referred to a total of eight committees, but the timeline makes it unlikely most will formally consider the legislation.

The Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, which would have jurisdiction over any monies raised from the bill's provisions, has said Members on his panel prefer to spend their limited time on health care reform. Link

Tomorrow the House Ag Committee will be tackling the climate change legislation. This bill could drastically affect how or if America’s farmers will produce food. The opportunity to have your voice heard is now. Let your representative know that you are concerned how agriculture will fare under this proposed cap and tax climate bill.