05/30/06 Ag disaster aid update

Farm and Ranch May 30, 2006 Some sources on Capitol Hill says the odds don't look good for the Senate's four-billion dollars worth of ag disaster aid and energy assistance to make it through the conference committee with the House. The House did not include any ag disaster assistance in its version of the supplemental spending bill for the Iraq war and hurricane relief and the Bush Administration opposes it. In a conference call with reporters last week, North Dakota Democratic Senator Byron Dorgan, said there are three possible outcomes for the Senate's ag disaster legislation. Dorgan: "One outcome is that President Bush could be successful in getting this stopped. I hope that is not the case but that is one possible outcome. The second is the House leadership, if they decide not to dump it, could decide to take only that which relates to the Gulf of Mexico and the ag disaster there. And the third potential is that we could get the ag disaster package that we got through the Senate. Those are the three possibilities." If ag disaster aid is to survive, Dorgan says it will take a bipartisan effort. Dorgan: "We have a lot of bipartisanship here, but if it doesn't get done that defeat belongs at the doorstep of the White House who is doing everything they can in George Bush's name to try and dump this disaster aid. And I find it incredible. But they are not interested in trying to help farmers who need a helping hand." The conference committee is scheduled to meet June 6th. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.