New Hampshire Senators John Sununu and Judd Gregg were among just 15 senators who voted against the $290 billion farm bill that’s on its way to President Bush.
About two-thirds of the bill would pay for domestic nutrition programs such as food stamps, with an additional $40 billion for farm subsidies. Though the legislation would eliminate some federal payments to individual farmers who make more than $750,000 a year, Sununu says overall it would leave massive subsidies in place even as food prices soar.
Gregg called the bill replete with gamesmanship, gimmicks and pet projects and said it sets up a subsidy structure to pay farmers who are already making a lot of money.
Sununu says he strongly supports the nutrition programs in the bill, but added that good programs should never be held hostage to wasteful government spending.