XXXX Voted Against Energy Tax Credit for Farmers. In November 2005, XXXX voted against providing a Federal tax credit to farmers for 30 percent of their 2005 energy costs up to $3,000 per farmer. Qualified energy costs included those for fuels, utilities, fertilizers, heating and drying used in farming businesses of taxpayers during calendar year 2005. The $3 billion tax credit would be offset by closing tax loopholes for big oil companies. [Vote 345, 11/17/05; Congressional Record, 11/17/05] XXXX Voted to Fund the Conservation Reserve Program. In November 2003, XXXX voted against an amendment that would bar the Agriculture Department from apportioning funds made available from other conservation programs to fund technical assistance for the Conservation Reserve Program. [Vote 442, 11/6/03] XXXX Voted Against the 2002 Farm Bill, Massive Subsidy Increases. In 2002, XXXX voted against a new farm bill re-establishing programs that supply payments to farmers when commodity prices fall below a specified level. It also raised mandatory and direct farm program spending by $73.5 billion over 10 years, provided $243 billion for food stamps and restored benefits for legal immigrants, and increased conservation spending to $17.1 billion. It also lowered the total limit on payments to individual farmers to $360,000 and authorized a new $1 billion dairy program for three and a half years. [Vote 103, 5/8/02] XXXX Voted Against Restrict Federal Environmental Subsidies For Certain Livestock Operations. In 2002, XXXX voted against restrict federal environmental subsidies for new and expanding livestock operations. The Wellstone amendment would exclude new large Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) from receiving Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) cost-share funds. The amendment was rejected, 44-52. [Vote 15, 2/6/02; National Journal's Congress Daily, 2/7/02] XXXX Voted For A $275,000-Per-Farm Cap On Agriculture Subsidies. In 2002, XXXX voted against killing a $275,000-per-farm cap on agriculture subsidies. Under existing rules, farms could receive unlimited subsidies for production of grain, cotton and soybeans, and growers could get $80,000 more under a separate program that provides fixed annual payments. Southern Democrats trying to protect subsidies to large cotton and rice operations threatened to abandon the bill if the payment limit were approved. Republican Senator Grassley of Iowa earned praise from Democrat Senator Harkin of Iowa for playing a major role by pushing for the cap. The vote was on a motion to table the Dorgan/Grassley amendment to the Agriculture, Conservation, and Rural Enhancement Act of 2001. [Vote 18, 2/7/02; Associated Press, 2/7/02; Des Moines Register, 2/14/02] XXXX Voted Against An Amendment To Create A Uniform Aid Program For Farmers. XXXX voted against eliminating existing commodity programs and in lieu thereof add a new commodity program that would give a $7,000 annual payment from 2003 through 2006 to all agricultural producers with $20,000 or more in annual income from farming. The vote was on the Lugar amendment to the Daschle (for Harkin) substitute amendment to the Agriculture, Conservation, and Rural Enhancement Act of 2001 (S. 1731). The amendment was rejected, 11-85. [Vote 19, 2/7/02] XXXX Voted to Lower Crop Subsidies In Order To Create IRA-Style Savings Accounts For Farmers. In 2002, XXXX voted to lower crop subsidies slightly in order to create IRA-style savings accounts for farmers, an idea endorsed by the Bush administration. The vote was on the Harkin perfecting amendment to the Agriculture, Conservation, and Rural Enhancement Act of 2001. [Vote 26, 2/12/02; Associated Press, 2/12/02] XXXX Voted Against Final Passage Of The 2002 Senate Rural Enhancement Act. In 2002, XXXX voted against final passage, as amended, of the Agriculture, Conservation, and Rural Enhancement Act of 2001 (H.R. 2646). The farm bill substantially increased mandatory spending, primarily on farm income support programs. Most of the assistance went to large farms that produce crops for which assistance has historically been given. The bill also included substantial sums for food assistance programs (primarily the Food Stamp Program). The bill passed, 58-40. [Vote 30, 2/13/02] XXXX Voted to Increase Agricultural Spending And Keep The Bush Tax Cut. In 2001, XXXX voted to increase spending by $3.5 billion for the Natural Resources and Environment function and $60 billion for the Agriculture function, with the stated goal of further funding agriculture's mandatory Commodity Credit Corporation 14