Senate Announces First Farm Bill Hearing: Counties Encouraged to Comment – Action Needed
Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, announced the Committee’s first Farm Bill field hearing will be held on May 31 at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan at the Kellogg Center. The hearing, “Opportunities for Growth: Michigan and the 2012 Farm Bill,” will focus on the upcoming reauthorization of the Farm Bill, examining agriculture as well as energy, conservation, rural development, research, forestry and nutrition policies.
NACo members are encouraged to attend and can RSVP by calling 202-224-2035 or by emailing aghearing@ag.senate.gov. Chairwoman Stabenow is also accepting written testimony, which will be included in the official record. Send your testimony no later than June 7, 2011 to aghearing@ag.senate.gov. You may also submit questions for possible consideration by the panel members during a limited question and answer period before May 26, 2011.
Click here for NACo’s Farm Bill priorities fact sheet which can be used as a guide for your comments. http://www.naco.org/legislation/policies/Documents/Agriculture%20and%20Rural%20Affairs/ecj%20%20–%20%20Farm%20Bill.pdf
Action Needed! Support the 6-month Extension of FMAP in H.R. 4213
Please see the alert below from NACo regarding the federal FMAP six month extension for Medicaid dollars. The Michigan Legislature is counting on this money, more than $500 million for Michigan, to balance the fiscal year 2011 budget. If Congress does not pass the extension, more than $500 million will need to be cut from the state budget, which will dramatically affect counties. Please contact Senators Levin and Stabenow today and ask them to make sure the FMAP extension is included in HR 4213:
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Action Needed! Support the 6-month Extension of FMAP in H.R. 4213 Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) unveiled their manager’s amendment to H.R. 4213, the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010, last Tuesday. The manager’s amendment is the starting point for the Senate’s consideration of the package of tax breaks and benefits extensions passed by the House before Memorial Day. Reid and Baucus restored the six month extension of the ARRA Medicaid federal medical assistance (FMAP) aid to states and counties which had been dropped from the House bill over concern within the Democratic Caucus over its $24 billion price tag. NACo strongly supports the provision. The ARRA FMAP aid expires December 31, 2010, in the middle of many statefiscal years, states which already face a collective budget shortfall of more than $55 billion. County budgets, as a result, stand to suffer if FMAP provision expires at the end of this year. NACo urges you to contact your senator and emphasize support for the FMAP extension, click here to take action. Contact: Paul Beddoe • 202.942.4234 |
