Republicans abandon Bush on new farm bill

WASHINGTON — Farm bills attract many critics. When it comes time to vote, however, it's hard to say no.

So it was on Wednesday when 100 Republicans abandoned President Bush as the House overwhelmingly passed the latest five-year farm bill, a $290 billion measure sent to the Senate with more than enough supporters to override his promised veto.

The president said the legislation was fiscally irresponsible and gives away too much money to wealthy farmers. Yet his criticism rang hollow as lawmakers from both parties voted for increased crop subsidies, food stamps for the poor and other goodies that will help their districts in an election year. The final vote was 318-106.

Bush took a stronger stand this time than he did when Congress wrote the last farm bill in 2002. He never liked that bill but signed it anyway with lukewarm praise as he prepared to run for re-election.

Supporters of the new bill were elated after the vote, which was more favorable than they expected.

"It is very sweet," said Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, a Democrat who pushed for more nutrition money in the bill.

About two-thirds of the bill would pay for nutrition programs such as food stamps and emergency food aid for the needy. An additional $40 billion is for farm subsidies while almost $30 billion would go to farmers to idle their land and to other environmental programs.

The Senate was expected to vote on the bill Thursday. Rejecting a veto by Bush would be even easier in the Senate because farm states have greater representation than they do in the House. Congress has only overridden one veto, on a water projects bill, during Bush's two terms.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the measure "will drastically increase nutrition initiatives that will help 38 million American families put health food on their table."

She made it clear she would have preferred smaller farm subsidies, but deferred to some Democratic colleagues looking ahead to the fall campaign.

Only 91 Republicans voted against the bill one day after the party lost its third straight special election this year for filling House vacancies. All three districts — one each in Illinois, Louisiana and Mississippi — include rural farm areas and now have Democrats in seats long held by Republicans.

Some Republicans criticized the mostly bipartisan and popular bill because a few home-state pet causes, including tax breaks for Kentucky racehorse owners and additional aid for salmon fishermen in the Pacific Northwest.