More welfare for livestock operators

Read this. You can find it at Thomas

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:s3211:

Ralph Maughan

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S. 3211

To amend the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007, to clarify eligibility for livestock indemnity payments.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

June 26, 2008

Mr. BAUCUS (for himself, Mr. JOHNSON, Mr. TESTER, and Mr. THUNE) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry


A BILL

To amend the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007, to clarify eligibility for livestock indemnity payments.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. LIVESTOCK INDEMNITY PAYMENTS.

Section 9002 of the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007 (Public Law 110-28; 121 Stat. 214), is amended–

(1) in subsection (a)(5)(B)(iii), by striking `if such notice applies to a county included under (ii)’; and

(2) in subsection (b)(1)–

(A) by striking `There are hereby appropriated’ and inserting the following:

`(A) IN GENERAL- There are appropriated’;

(B) in subparagraph (A) (as so designated), by striking `due to a disaster, as determined by the Secretary’ and inserting `due to any natural disaster’;

(C) by striking `To be eligible’ and inserting the following:

`(B) INCLUSION- Eligible livestock losses under this subsection shall include the death of livestock in a disaster county due to a natural disaster, regardless of whether the death is related to any natural disaster that is the basis for a natural disaster declaration for the disaster county.

`(C) ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS- To be eligible’; and

(D) by adding at the end the following:

`(D) DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS- To be eligible for assistance under this subsection, producers on a farm shall submit applications for assistance under this subsection not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this subparagraph.’.

13 thoughts on “More welfare for livestock operators

  1. What the…? So a river floods and the county is declared a disaster area; meanwhile, on high ground 70 miles from any river, Bubba accidentally shoots his cow and collects on it from the taxpayers? Surely that’s not what I’m reading here… Please, set me straight.

  2. “Eligible livestock losses under this subsection shall include the death of livestock in a disaster county due to a natural disaster, regardless of whether the death is related to any natural disaster that is the basis for a natural disaster declaration for the disaster county.”
    That is a laughable clarification as clear as mud.

  3. wildfire, lightening, flood, — the area doesn’t even need to have a natural disaster declared —

    that’s a full coverage insurance policy bought and paid for by the U.S. taxpayer.

  4. I guess they’ll have no reason to complain about wolves–or anything else for that matter–so long as someone claims it was a “natural disaster.” Wouldn’t it be cheaper just to pay them to leave?

    Something stinks…in addition to the manure.

  5. I’d settle for a politician just looking out for us, period.

    Ironically, these same beneficiaries will gripe about the guy down the road getting food stamps… they’d be white trash to many of these good ol’ boys.
    Ha! Hypocrits! Mooches! and Liars. Sounds like a country song gone bad.
    The sick part is, someone smart enough to draft this actually drafted it! Shame on them!!!!
    Can I get some of this free income without taxes? How do I sign up?

  6. Premise is that Disasters are Evil

    Wolves = Time($$$$)
    Time = $$$$
    Wolves = $$$$ ($$$$) = $ squared
    And because “$$$$ is the root of all evil”
    $$$$ = the square root of evil
    Therefore:
    Wolves = (the square root of evil) squared
    Thus:
    Wolves = Evil

    Congress working the fuzzy math……..and working it hard….

  7. Max is looking out for us here in Monatana. Here is another example of his recent work.

    Guest Opinion
    Progressive preservation: Agreement will protect public land while allowing working forests
    By MAX BAUCUS

    Montana is like no other place on Earth. As Montanans, we have at our fingertips world-class hunting and fishing, unmatched hiking, camping and snowmobiling and a view of the heavens so complete, and so unique, that our state is known simply as Big Sky Country. Without a doubt, Montana is the Last Best Place, and we know how lucky we are to live here.

    But Montana won’t stay like this all on its own. We, as Montanans, must do everything we can preserve our outdoor heritage.

    That is why I’m so excited about the Montana Legacy Project. Earlier this week, the Nature Conservancy, the Trust for Public Land and Plum Creek Timber Co. sealed the deal on a historic land agreement that will protect hundreds of thousands of acres in Montana. The agreement, called the Montana Legacy Project, will keep the land open to the public and free from development, forever.

    The 320,000 acres included in the project include hunting and fishing land in the Swan Valley, the Fish Creek Valley, and around Potomac and Lolo. This is some of the best hunting and fishing land in the state, and our grandkids will get to enjoy it just as we do today.

    I’m proud to have had a leading role in making the Montana Legacy Project a reality. As the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and a senior member of the Agriculture Committee and key author of the Farm Bill, I secured $250 million to help purchase the land, through the new Forest Bonding Provision.

    This is big. It’s one of the largest land conservation deals in American history, right here in Montana.

    Our identity as Montanans is so closely tied to the land; it’s hard to overstate the importance of preserving Montana’s outdoor heritage.

    However, there is another pressing issue that affects every moment of our lives, and that’s our economy. The truth is, no matter how much time we spend outdoors, we still need a good paying job to live here.

    And so, written into this historic agreement is a commitment to Montana’s economy. The deal will ensure the forests remain working forests, providing sustainable timber harvests that will create jobs and support the local economies that have relied on timber for generations.

    The preservation of this land is also a tremendous boost to Montana’s tourism industry. More than 10 million tourists visit our state every year. They come to hunt in our forests, fish in our streams, and take in our scenic views. They spend millions of dollars for their very own Montana experience. Those dollars are the lifeblood of our state, creating jobs, putting food on the table and gas in our cars.

    I’m committed to doing what’s right for the people of Montana. And that’s what the Montana Legacy Project is about. It will benefit not only our outdoor heritage, but our economy and our future.

    The Montana Legacy Project is more than an investment in Montana, it’s an investment in the United States and in our future. I want this first deal to become a model for future conservation bonds across the country. The Forest Conservation Bonding Provision provides a roadmap for conservation groups to make agreements similar to the Montana Legacy Project a reality in other states.

    The groups will focus on large blocks of private land bordering U.S. Forest Service land n parcels whose long-term conservation will benefit fish and wildlife and provide unprecedented public access. Combining these so-called checker-boarded, private-public lands can cut the costs and threat of wildfire to communities and while promoting long-term forest health.

    Montanans are proud of our rural character, our valleys with farms and forests, and our tradition of public access to land for hunting and fishing. The Montana Legacy Project is a tool to preserve our outdoor heritage.

    Because of the Montana Legacy Project, Montana will forever be the Last Best Place. This deal ensures there will never be a last generation of Montanans to fish the Blackfoot River, a last log from the Lolo headed to the mill, a last hunting trip into the Swan Valley. Because of the Montana Legacy Project, the Last Best Place will last forever.

    Sen. Max Baucus, a Democrat, is Montana’s senior U.S. senator and chairman of the Senate Finance Committee

  8. Roy,

    I read about this “great deal” between Plum Creek Timber, Baucus, and various conservation groups, but then I read something quite different.

    Closed-Door Deal Could Open Land In Montana. Forest Service Angers Locals With Move That May Speed Building.” By Karl Vick. Washington Post Staff Writer.

    How are these related? It sounds like a token for conservation and a ton for second home developers to carve up the mountains and ask the taxpayers to fund fire protection, road maintenance, etc.

  9. JB,
    Although you are correct in that they should not have anything to complain about, they will still complain about wolves.
    Maybe hatred of wolves has become part of that vague “ranching culture” theme that I always read about.
    If this is the case ( and seems so to me), it will take a long time to filter out. Throwing money at a problem that is more like ideology will only placate that “community” so much.
    It’s disgusting that we have to pay for this particular piece of welfare when the money could be and should be spent elsewhere. Not only could the Mexican Wolf program use some funds, it would be well spent on those people that are suffering floodwater damage in the Midwest or even help Katrina victims.

  10. Ralph,

    There are many of us in Montana that are asking the same questions and trying to get answers to why to completely opposed deals are being made with the same company? Does leave you wondering, Many of us have already wrote Senator Baucus to find out what is going on, and how these are related.

  11. Max doesn’t care much what some back east NYT reading cow haters think. He has the upcoming re-election here all but wrapped up. Plum Creek likes his work enough to give him a nice campaign contribution. 320,000 conserved acres isn’t just a token, Ralph. Just had to swallow the rest of the pork in the farm bill to get it done. Today’s politics……aren’t they great Ralph?

  12. Greed is like no other–and the game of greed is more.

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