108th Congress - Agriculture
Recent Legislative Accomplishments
Tobacco Buyout - HR 4520 "FSC" Bill Congressman Bishop fought for this bill which repeals the Extraterritorial Income tax. Repealing the ETI tax will stem EU tariffs that have been placed on certain US exports. Currently the tariff is 8% but grows by 1% each month until the ETI is repealed of the 17% level is reached. The forest products industry has been very vocal supporting this part of FSC/ETI. The current tariffs include a wide range of forest products and are severely diminishing their profit margins and competitiveness. The bill also cuts the corporate tax rate to 32%. The idea is to make companies more competitive both home and abroad. The breaks will spur economic growth by allowing U.S. companies to retain more earnings and reinvest. The tobacco buyout attachment is a 9.6 billion dollar buyout that eliminates the tobacco price support system that is in currently place. The buyout will give the allotment owner $7/lb and the grower $3/lb. The payments are made in equal installments over a five-year period. The money for the buyout will come from the Federal Excise Tax on Tobacco. There is overwhelming support from the Georgia Farm Bureau, farmers, and other agriculture groups. Congressman Bishop - Passed by recorded vote: 251 - 178 (Roll no. 259). The bill now goes to conference to resolve differences with the Senate.
Fought for Agriculture Coops and Crop Insurance Cosigned delegation letter to Ross Davidson, Administrator of USDA Risk Management Agency seeking reconsideration of proposed 2005 changes to law governing Standard Insurance Agreements (SIAs) governing agricultural cooperatives (coops) that offer their members crop insurance.
Fought for Family Farmer Bankruptcy Relief Supported Family Farmer Bankruptcy Relief Act (HR 2465), which temporarily extends Chapter 12 bankruptcy protection for family farmers for six months through the end of December, 2003. Passed 379 - 3 (Roll no. 300). Supported S. 1920, which extended bankruptcy protection for farmers for six months (from January 1 to June 30, 2004), but the rule substantially expands this (supra). The most recent extension expired at the end of 2003. Importantly, S.1920's modified closed rule (passed by voice) substitutes into S. 1920 the text of the much-larger bankruptcy reform bill (H. R. 975) that the House passed in March 19, 2003, which Congressman Bishop voted for (Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 315 - 113, 1 Present (Roll no. 74)), but that the Senate has not yet considered. H.R. 975 would: make it harder for individuals with average or higher incomes to wipe out their debts after liquidating most of their assets by filing bankruptcy under Chapter 7; Debtors whose monthly income meets a means-test threshold (looks at past income, as opposed to future income, to determine what you'll make for the next 5 years), would need to file for bankruptcy under Chapter 13, which requires repayment of most debts; In addition, this substitute would permanently extend the farm bankruptcy law. - Passed by recorded vote: 265 - 99, 1 Present (Roll no. 10).
USDA Rural Development Congressman Bishop supported rejecting the privatization of USDA Rural Development. Congressman Bishop joined in urging that the Agriculture Appropriations Conferees accept Senate language and reject efforts to allow privatization of positions in the Department's Rural Development and Farm Service Agency farm loan programs.
Supported 2nd District's Peanut FarmersWorked on behalf of the district's peanut farmers to ensure prompt USDA action after complaints from farmers about the delay in receiving the 1007 forms from USDA. Farmers were not able to receive a check for their crop if the warehouse did not have this form. Congressman Bishop requested that USDA make a concerted effort to assure that farmers would experience no delay in receiving these forms next harvest season.
The Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Tax Incentive Act Congressman Bishop supported HR 2978, which reduces capital gains tax rates for landowners who sell land to new producers, as long as the land is kept in agricultural production.
The Healthy America Act Congressman Bishop supported HR 2592, which would provide students in America's schools with a greater education into healthy eating habits. This legislation is also be supported by agriculture groups as part of the USDA Section 32 programs that provide food for the School Lunch Program.
Letter to Persuade Bush Administration Congressman Bishop sent a letter in an effort to persuade the Bush Administration to initiate safeguards to curb the massive flow of textile imports from China. Coalition members were motivated to seek the safeguard action by the enormous surge of Chinese exports into the U.S. market following the removal of quotas on 29 categories of textile products in 2002.
USDA Disaster Liaison Bill Congressman Bishop cosponsored H.R. 3157, the USDA Disaster Liaison Bill. The legislation is designed to help farmers when a natural disaster is declared by the Federal Government. This bill will provide for the designation of a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) disaster liaison to assist State and local employees of the USDA in coordinating with other agencies as they respond to a federal declared disaster.
Letter to Secretary Veneman Co-signed letter to Secretary Veneman regarding proposed change in definition of family farm for FSA loan programs.
Recent Appropriations Congressman Bishop has brought to the 2nd District
Congressman Bishop has brought a total of $10,685,000 in Agriculture related appropriations to the 2nd Congressional District of Georgia for FY04.
Cotton
Tift County - UGA Tifton - Cotton Fiber research - $450,000
Peanuts Terrell County - National Peanut Laboratory - Peanut Research - $635,000 Terrell County - National Peanut Institute - Peanut Research - $833,000 Pecans Tift County - Pecan Growers Association - Pecan Scab Disease - $270,000 Poultry Statewide UGA - Improving Reproduction of broilers/hens - $270,000 Poultry Environment Tift County - UGA-Tifton - Community Nutrient Management (poultry waste management) - $350,000 Water Statewide - GSU, ASU & GA Southern - Agricultural Water Policy Research - $900,000
Statewide - GA Soil/Water Conservation Commission - Water conservation - $3,600,000 Dougherty County - Flint River Policy Center - Water conservation - $940,000 Dougherty County - Flint River/GA Agricultural Water Conservation Initiative - Water conservation - $1,725,000 Tift County - UGA-Tifton - Water Use and conservation - $262,000 Tift County - UGA-Tifton - Water Use Efficiency - $450,000
