Harvesting Reforms from the Farm Bill: The Senate Amendments

The Senate is considering the Farm Bill this week, a nearly-trillion-dollar bundle of corporate welfare, wasteful spending, and food stamps.  FreedomWorks has issued a Key Vote NO against this bill.

However, there are a number of amendments that are being offered to the Farm Bill that would achieve significant, measurable reforms.

FreedomWorks encourages Senators to vote YES on all of the following amendments. Any of these amendments (or those similar) that come up for a vote may be scored on FreedomWorks’ scorecard for 2013.

  • Heller Amendment 927 – Prevents any funds from being allocated to the IRS for the enforcement of ObamaCare.
  • Begich/Flake Amendment 936 – Forces crop insurance payments to be disclosed, to provide the same level of transparency as for the former direct payments.
  • Inhofe Amendment 960 – Block grants the food stamp program (SNAP) to the states, and makes reforms to eligibility for the program. (failed 36-60)
  • Rubio Amendment 995 – Creates new penalties for employees of the IRS engaging in discriminatory practices.
  • Lee Amendment 1016 – Repeals the subsidies for crops being grown for the purpose of being converted into biofuels (i.e. ethanol). (section 9011)
  • Lee Amendment 1020 – Would implement the REINS Act, which requires that new major regulations costing more than $100 million should be voted on by Congress, providing a valuable new check on executive agencies.
  • Lee Amendment 1021 – Repeals the death tax entirely, and reduces the gift tax.
  • Paul Amendments 1065 – The “Defense of Evironment and Property Act”, which more strictly defines “navigable waters” to limit the government’s ability to regulate bodies of water on private property.
  • Flake Amendment 1071 – Eliminates the new “shallow-loss” insurance program that creates a brand new entitlement for farmers that will cost taxpayers billions of dollars.
  • Cruz amendment 1084 – Repeals the entire section of law that requires ethanol to be blended into fuel.