Chet Edwards For Congress

KWTX TV: Farm Bureau Asked Texas Delegation To Support Farm Bill Veto Override

KWTX TV | May 21, 2008

President Bush made good on his promise Wednesday and vetoed the $300 billion farm bill, calling it a tax increase on regular Americans at a time of high food prices.

Meanwhile, in a letter to the Texas congressional delegation, the Waco-based Texas Farm Bureau called on lawmakers to support efforts to override the veto.

The letter was sent just minutes after the veto Wednesday, the Farm Bureau said.

"Texas farmers and ranchers have been waiting patiently through numerous short-term extensions of the 2002 Act and now have 2008 crops planted and moving toward harvest," said Texas Farm Bureau President Kenneth Dierschke in the letter.

"HR 2419, when enacted, will provide a much-needed safety net during the turbulent times in which we find ourselves with ever-increasing costs for input items."

"While many in the uninformed media area are criticizing the bill, agricultural producers are extremely concerned because of today's high costs of production," Dierschke said.

The U.S. House and U.S. Senate both passed the measure with enough votes last week to override the veto.

Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, and Rep John Carter, R- Round Rock, both voted in favor of the bill.

But Mr. Bush calls the legislation fiscally irresponsible.

He says it gives away too much money to wealthy farmers but his criticism didn't faze lawmakers from both parties who voted for increased crop subsidies, food stamps for the poor and other items to help their districts in an election year.