WASHINGTON – U.S. House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin C. Peterson, D-Minn., made the following statement today after House Republican Leaders outlined next week’s floor schedule, which does not include the farm bill. This leaves only four legislative days to consider the bill before Congress adjourns for their August recess.

“There is no excuse not to bring the farm bill to the floor. We’ve wasted the last two weeks on political messaging bills that are going nowhere. If the House Republican Leadership were serious about creating jobs and growing our economy they would bring up this bill. There is no good reason to put one of our nation’s economic bright spots, the rural economy, at risk.

“The House Agriculture Committee passed a strong, bipartisan farm bill and we need to continue moving forward so we can resolve our differences with the Senate and get a bill to the President’s desk before the current bill expires September 30. I remain hopeful we’ll find a way to finish our work but time is running out.”

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