The U.S. House of Representatives could vote on a farm bill as soon as Thursday, and western Kentucky Congressman James Comer feels it keeps the promises he made to his constituents.
Speaking with WHOP News Tuesday, Comer says no bill is ever perfect, but he thinks the farm bill he helped craft while sitting on the agriculture committee keeps the best interest of agriculture in mind.
He says farmers can be confident that the crop insurance policies in the bill will provide the coverage they are accustomed to.
He says the bill does have language to incentivize private insurance companies to become more involved with crop insurance as he feels eventually the coverage will be phased out from the federal government.
The bill does come with some controversy, as it also sets the policies for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP benefits. The bill would require able-bodied citizens to work at least 20 hours a week or have some benefits cut, and those who oppose the bill say it threatens the food security for millions of Americans.
The congressman says the disabled, the primary care giver of a child under six-years old, pregnant mothers and citizens over 60 years of age are exempt from the requirement. He says it’s his hope that the new policy would get more people working and off of welfare.
Congressman Comer says the bill could be heard in the U.S House of Representatives as soon as Thursday, although the deadline for it pass is September 30th. From there, it must go to the Senate, which will craft its own version before going into conference to come to a compromise before a bill is passed. He says he’s not sure if the legislation in its current form has the support it needs to make it to the president’s desk, but says he remains optimistic about the farm bill.