Davis: No Excuse For Partisan Fight Over Farm Bill

Congressman Rodney Davis says he agrees with Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid that there should be no extension of the 2008 Farm Bill.

The Taylorville Republican is the only freshman lawmaker on the House-Senate conference committee assigned with resolving differences in the measure.   

He said the farm bill also needs to be considered as a separate measure - not part of a larger budget debate, as a proven example Republicans and Democrats can work together.  

“I don’t listen to the all the naysayers in Washington who want to speculate on trying to bring the debate back to the hyper partisanship," he said.  "And if it gets caught up in the budgetary debate of overall government spending, and the fiscal future of this country.  We’ve had that debate.  That’s why we are saving taxpayers billions with this bill.”

Davis also said there’s room for compromise on the food stamp program, or SNAP (Supplemental Nutrional Benefits Program.)

He said suggested House reforms of $40 billion are intended to make it what it was during what he calls a ‘highly successful’ Clinton-era Welfare-to-Work program. 

"We're not asking single moms to go lose their SNAP benefits to take a job somewhere, then they don't have an opportunity to get child care," he said.  "This is for able-bodied adults, with no depedent children, who are not in school, or a training program for a job that's available. What we're saying is, you know what?  You might want to be able to take this work opportunity.  You might want to be able to perform this community service, or volunteer service, and get some more skills that can lead you to a job, and get you off of the SNAP program.  I don't think that's too much to ask."

Davis was in Urbana Friday.