House OKs $75 billion farm spending bill

WASHINGTON (B)--The U.S. House July 11 approved a $75 billion fiscal 2001 agriculture spending bill, including approximately $14.38 billion in discretionary spending for such programs as aid to U.S. farmers, international food assistance and export credits, and food and drug safety.

Most of the bill's provision cover such non-discretionary operations as food stamps, the school lunch program and other domestic U.S. nutrition programs.

The bill did not contain a measure that would have ended current U.S. unilateral food and medicine sanctions against Cuba, Iran, Libya, Sudan and North Korea. An agreement between anti-sanctions sponsors and the House Republican leadership allowed the measure to be removed from the farm spending

bill in return for an "iron-clad" promise that anti-sanctions legislation will be reintroduced to the farm spending package House-Senate conference report.

However, Rep. Charles Rangel, D-NY, attempted to introduce an amendment that would have specifically ended a ban on food and medicine trade with Cuba, only to have the proposal struck down by sanctions opponents because it did not deal with appropriations--a violation of House rules.

The bill funds the agriculture operations of USDA as well the Food and Drug Administration. The Forest Service--the single largest operation within USDA--is funded through the Interior Department appropriations. Most of the debate centered around amendments dealing with pharmaceuticals.

Other amendments approved include:

--A provision that would prevent FDA from enforcing laws that prevent U.S. citizens from traveling abroad to purchase pharmaceuticals for personal use.

--A measure that would authorize the importation of prescription drugs produced in FDA-approved factories in Canada and Mexico.

--A $15,000 cut from USDA's food Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) budget to protest the agency's inspection of Iranian farm goods.