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WASHINGTON - The Democratic-controlled House passed legislation Friday that combines billions in aid for farmers with money for low-income nutrition programs, defying a veto threat from
The legislation aims to ban subsidies to farmers whose income averages more than $1 million a year, down from the current limit of $2.5 million. It also would stop farmers from collecting payments for multiple farm businesses. Still, it includes about $42 billion in assistance to farmers.
It came after Democrats quashed a rebellion from one of their own, Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., who teamed with conservative GOP budget hawks and urban and suburban Democrats on an amendment to wean farmers from government payments. It would have imposed stricter income limits on farmers, barring subsidies to those making an average of $250,000 or more annually, and would have steered more money to conservation, nutrition, specialty crop and rural development programs.
The amendment lost on a lopsided vote, but Pelosi credited it with creating the pressure to invest more farm bill resources in nontraditional programs.
"I had high hopes that this Congress — given market conditions and our commitment to a new direction for this country — would have the stomach to reform these outdated and unfair policies," Kind said in a statement. But he said his efforts had prompted increases for conservation and nutrition programs, and made "some modest inroads" on curbing subsidies.
OHIO
Democrats — Jones, Y; Kaptur, Y; Kucinich, X; Ryan, Y; Space, Y; Sutton, Y; Wilson, Y.
Republicans — Boehner, N; Chabot, N; Gillmor, N; Hobson, N; Jordan, N; LaTourette, N; Pryce, N; Regula, N; Schmidt, N; Tiberi, N; Turner, N.
