Senate confirms Harden, Bonnie, names farm bill conferees
August 01, 2013 | 11:58 PM
The Senate late Thursday confirmed President Barack Obama’s nominations of Krysta Harden to be Agriculture deputy secretary and Robert Bonnie to be undersecretary for natural resources and environment.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., also named the following conferees to reconcile differences in farm bill legislation approved by the Senate and House:
“I appreciate Republican Leader McConnell appointing conferees prior to the August recess and setting the stage for us to try to finalize a 2013 farm bill,” Cochran said in a news release. “Reconciling differences between the Senate and House will be a challenge, but it is a job that needs to be done for an important sector of the American and global economy. I look forward to it.”
“We have such a good depth of knowledge on our side of the table with Sen. Roberts and Sen. Chambliss, both of whom are former heads of the Agriculture Committee,” he added. “Sens. Boozman and Hoeven are also very knowledgeable and active members of our committee, and I look forward to working with them during conference.”
“The Senate and House agriculture panels early this year began working on a new, five-year farm bill with the goal of enacting it before a short-term extension of current agriculture, conservation and nutrition assistance policies expire September 30,” Cochran added.
House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, declined to name conferees, but the bipartisan Senate action is likely to put pressure on him to act.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., also named the following conferees to reconcile differences in farm bill legislation approved by the Senate and House:
Democrats
- Senate Agriculture Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, Mich.
- Sen. Patrick Leahy, Vt.
- Sen. Tom Harkin, Iowa
- Sen. Max Baucus, Mont.
- Sen. Sherrod Brown, Ohio
- Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Minn.
- Sen. Michael Bennet, Colo.
Republicans
- Senate Agriculture ranking member Thad Cochran, Miss.
- Sen. Pat Roberts, Kan.
- Sen. Saxby Chambliss, Ga.
- Sen. John Boozman, Ark.
- Sen. John Hoeven, N.D.
“I appreciate Republican Leader McConnell appointing conferees prior to the August recess and setting the stage for us to try to finalize a 2013 farm bill,” Cochran said in a news release. “Reconciling differences between the Senate and House will be a challenge, but it is a job that needs to be done for an important sector of the American and global economy. I look forward to it.”
“We have such a good depth of knowledge on our side of the table with Sen. Roberts and Sen. Chambliss, both of whom are former heads of the Agriculture Committee,” he added. “Sens. Boozman and Hoeven are also very knowledgeable and active members of our committee, and I look forward to working with them during conference.”
“The Senate and House agriculture panels early this year began working on a new, five-year farm bill with the goal of enacting it before a short-term extension of current agriculture, conservation and nutrition assistance policies expire September 30,” Cochran added.
House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, declined to name conferees, but the bipartisan Senate action is likely to put pressure on him to act.
