August 13, 2012
By: Joe Newby
Examiner.com: On Monday, Barack Obama claimed that Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) blocked a bill giving aid to farmers and ranchers hurt by the severe drought, ABC News reported.
“I am told that Governor Romney’s new running mate, Paul Ryan, might be around Iowa the next few days,” he said while in Council Bluffs, Iowa. “He is one of the leaders of Congress standing in the way. So if you happen to see Congressman Ryan, tell him how important this farm bill is to Iowa and our rural communities.”
There's only one problem with Obama's statement - the House passed a stopgap farm bill that is currently being held up by Democrats in the Senate. Not only did the measure pass the House, Rep. Ryan voted for it.
Unable to pass a massive, five-year farm bill that would cost $957 billion, the GOP-led House passed a "short-term $383 million package of loans and grants for livestock producers and a limited number of farmers," the New York Times reported on August 2.
According to the Times, the bill passed the House 223 to 197, but Senate Democrats "refused to take up the House measure, faulting House Republican leaders for failing to consider the broader legislation in time."
“I’m not passing a bill that only covers some producers," said Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI).
The five-year bill has already passed the Senate and the House Agriculture Committee, The Hill reported, but fiscal groups like the National Taxpayers Union and Taxpayers for Common Sense oppose it.
According to the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, senior members of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees met after the House vote to discuss their options.
"Reports from that meeting also suggest that efforts to reconcile the Senate-passed bill with the House Committee-passed bill will continue, although no promises of a traditional conference-type situation were made," the coalition reported.
Nevertheless, Obama attempted to blame Mitt Romney's running mate for the impasse, even though the Wisconsin Republican voted for the emergency measure earlier this month.
Apparently, truth no longer matters in politics.
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