Only two weeks remain before federal legislators recess for the holiday, and Sen. Chuck Grassley says both chambers have much to finish before the 118th Congress ends, especially the Farm Bill extension.
There is no realistic chance a new Farm Bill will be approved by the end of the year, which means a continuing resolution is the only option for funding Farm Bill programs.
Grassley adds that Congress can’t continue allowing such critical legislation to expire.
However, he does see a positive in allowing the incoming administration and Republican-controlled House and Senate to approve the massive five-year bill. The 2018 Farm Bill expired in September 2023. It was extended for an additional year and currently operates under that same extension, which expires Dec. 31, 2024. The Farm Bill encompasses everything from crop insurance to nutrition support for low-income Americans. Nearly three-quarters of the Farm Bill’s substantial cost is attributed to food assistance programs. Grassley made his comments Tuesday during his weekly Capitol Hill Report with Iowa reporters.
