Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
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Categories: US Senate Committees | Congressional Committees Project
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According to its charter, the Senate Committee of Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry (often referred to simply as the "Agriculture Committee") has jurisdiction for legislative matters on issues related to the nation's agriculture industry, farming programs, forestry and logging, and legislation relating to nutrition and health. This includes oversight of the Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, the Forest Service, and other related federal agencies.
Incoming Membership (110th Congress)
On November 17, 2006, incoming Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid (D-NV), announced anticipated assignments to the Committee[1] for the 110th Congress. Republican Leader Mitch McConnell announced the Republican Committee assignments[2] on December 13th. These anticipated assignments are reflected in the information box (below right).
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry | |
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Expected Incoming Members, 110th Congress | |
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Pending Legislation
The following are bills and resolutions known to have been referred to the Committee during the 109th Congress which had not reached final votes before the full Senate by election day, November 7, 2006:
S. 73: Animal Feed Protection Act of 2005
Full Title: A bill to promote food safety and to protect the animal feed supply from bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
This bill was introduced January 24, 2005, by Maria Cantwell (D-WA), with no co-sponsors, and the same day read twice and referred to the Committee. No subsequent action has been reported. GovTrack LOC/THOMAS
S. 108: (No Short Title - Prohibiting Certain Applications of Minimal Risk Region Designations by the Secretary of Agriculture)
Full Title: A bill to prohibit the operation during a calendar year of the final rule issued by the Secretary of Agriculture to establish standards for the designation of minimal-risk regions for the introduction of bovine spongiform encephalopathy into the United States, including designation of Canada as a minimal-risk region, and the importation into the United States from Canada of certain bovine ruminant products during that calendar year, unless country of origin labeling is required for the retail sale of a covered commodity during that calendar year.
This measure was introduced January 24, 2005, by Tim Johnson (D-SD) and co-sponsored by Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Michael Enzi (R-WY). It was given two readings and referred to the Committee the same day it was introduced. An identical bill was introduced in the House as H.R. 187, and is pending before the Agriculture Committee there. No subsequent action has been reported. GovTrack LOC/THOMAS
S. 135: (No Short Title - Expansion of country of origin labeling for certain commodities)
Full Title: A bill to amend the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to expand country of origin labeling for certain covered commodities
This legislation was introduced January 24, 2005, by Conrad Burns (R-MT defeated), and co-sponsored by Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Craig Thomas (R-WY), and John Thune (R-SD). It was given two readings on the day it was introduced, and referred to the Committee. No subsequent action has been reported. GovTrack LOC/THOMAS
S. 194: (No Short Title - Permit planting of chicory in direct- and counter-cycle payment acreage)
Full Title: A bill to amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to permit the planting of chicory on base acres
S. 194 was introduced January 26, 2005, by Ben Nelson (D-NE), and co-sponsored by Michael Enzi (R-WY), given two readings on the day it was introduced, and referred to the Committee. No subsequent action has been reported. GovTrack LOC/THOMAS
S. 218: (No Short Title - Provide stream improvement and habitat protection through landowner incentives)
Full Title: A bill to amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to provide incentives to landowners to protect and improve streams and riparian habitat
S. 218 was introduced January 31, 2005, by Herb Kohl (D-WI), with no co-sponsors, given two readings on the day it was introduced, and referred to the Committee. No subsequent action has been reported. GovTrack LOC/THOMAS
S. 273: (No Short Title - Extend and improve dairly market loss payments)
Full Title: A bill to amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to extend and improve national dairy market loss payments
S. 273 was introduced January 31, 2005, by Norm Coleman (R-MN), with 28 co-sponsors (listed below), including 18 Democrats, given two readings on the day it was introduced, and referred to the Committee.
Co-sponsors: Joseph Biden (D-DE), Christopher Bond (R-MO), Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Susan Collins (R-ME), Mark Dayton (D-MN), Michael DeWine (R-OH defeated), Christopher Dodd (D-CT), Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Thomas Harkin (D-IA), James Jeffords (I-VT retiring), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Edward Kennedy (D-MA), John Kerry (D-MA), Herbert Kohl (D-WI), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), John Rockefeller (D-WV), Paul Sarbanes (D-MD), Charles E. Schumer, (D-NY), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Arlen Specter (R-PA), James Talent (R-MO defeated), John Thune (R-SD), David Vitter (R-LA), Ron Wyden (D-OR)
No action subsequent to introduction and referral to Committee has been reported. GovTrack LOC/THOMAS
S. 294: (No Short Title - Further restrict importation of beef from "low risk" regions)
Full Title: S. 294: A bill to strengthen the restrictions of the importation from BSE minimal-risk regions of meat, meat byproducts, and meat food products from bovines.
S. 294 was introduced Feb. 3, 2005, by Conrad Burns (R-MT defeated), and co-sponsored by Max Baucus (D-MT), Sam Brownback (R-KS), Chuck Hagel (R-NE), Ben Nelson (D-NE), Pat Roberts (R-KS), Craig Thomas (R-WY), and John Thune (R-SD). It was given two readings on the day it was introduced, and referred to the Committee.
No action subsequent to introduction and referral to Committee has been reported. GovTrack LOC/THOMAS
S. 307: MILC Extension Act
Full Title: A bill to amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to extend national dairy market loss payments.
S. 307 was introduced Feb. 7, 2005, by Rick Santorum (R-PA defeated), with no co-sponsors. It was given two readings on the day it was introduced, and referred to the Committee. No subsequent action has been reported. GovTrack LOC/THOMAS
S. 385: Rural America Preservation Act
Full Title: A bill to amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to restore integrity to and strengthen payment limitation rules for commodity payments and benefits.
S. 385, a farm subsidy bill, was introduced Feb. 15, 2005, by Charles Grassley (R-IA), and co-sponsored by Sam Brownback (R-KS), Mark Dayton (D-MN), Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Michael Enzi (R-WY), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Chuck Hagel (R-NE), Tim Johnson (D-SD), and Ben Nelson (D-NE). It was given two readings on the day it was introduced, and referred to the Committee.
No action subsequent to introduction and referral to Committee has been reported. GovTrack LOC/THOMAS
S. 425: Green Mountain National Forest Land Adjustment Act of 2005
Full Title: A bill to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to sell or exchange certain National Forest System land in the State of Vermont.
Patrick Leahy (D-VT) introduced S. 425 on February 17, 2005, with James Jeffords (I-VT) as the sole co-sponsor. It was read twice that day, and referred to the Committee. No further action on the bill has been reported. GovTrack LOC/THOMAS
S. 451: Pet Safety and Protection Act of 2005
Full Title: A bill to amend the Animal Welfare Act to ensure that all dogs and cats used by research facilities are obtained legally.
Daniel Akaka (D-HI) introduced S. 451 with the co-sponsorship of Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Ted Stevens (R-AK), on February 17, 2005. It received two readings and was referred to the Committee that day. No subsequent action has been reported. GovTrack LOC/THOMAS
S. 3890: Rural Energy for America Act of 2006
Full Title: A bill to enhance and improve the energy security of the United States, expand economic development, increase agricultural income, and improve environmental quality by reauthorizing and improving the renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements program of the Department of Agriculture through fiscal year 2012, and for other purposes.
Tom Harkin (D-IA) introduced this bill on September 12, 2006, with four co-sponsors: Richard Durbin (D-IL), Chuck Hagel (R-NE), Richard Lugar (R-IN) and Ben Nelson (D-NE). The same day, it received two readings and was referred to the Committee. No further action has been reported. GovTrack LOC/THOMAS
S. 3991: Emergency Farm Relief Act of 2006
Full Title: A bill to provide emergency agricultural disaster assistance, and for other purposes.
Kent Conrad (D-ND) introduced S. 3991, with 26 co-sponsors including 17 Democrats, and made introductory remarks on the floor of the Senate. Referral to the Committee has not been reported, although it would obviously have jurisdiction. No subsequent action appears to have been taken. The extent to which all or part of the provisions of this legislation were included in an amendment to the larger farm appropriations bill introduced by Sen. Conrad on November 15, 2006, after being thwarted in his attempt to attach it to the military construction bill debated the previous day, has not yet been confirmed. GovTrack LOC/THOMAS
S. 3999: Rural Broadband Initiative Act of 2006
Full Title: A bill to amend the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 to establish an Office of Rural Broadband Initiatives in the Department of Agriculture, and for other purposes.
Hillary Clinton (D-NY) introduced S. 3999 with no co-sponsors on September 29, 2006. It received two readings and was referred to the Committee that day. No subsequent action has been reported. GovTrack LOC/THOMAS
(Research on legislation which may still be pending before the committee, and its status, during the "lame duck" November-December 2006 session has not yet been completed, but is believed to include a "Farm Bill" in addition to those listed above.)
External Links
- Agriculture Committee official website
- Agriculture Committee article on Wikipedia
- Senate Rules, Chapter 25: defines Standing Committees of the Senate and their jurisdictions. See section (a).
Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Subcommittees: |
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Production & Price Competitiveness • Marketing, Inspection, & Product Promotion • Forestry, Conservation, & Rural Revitalization • Subcommittee on Research, Nutrition, & General Legislation |