June 8, 2023

Debt Ceiling Deal Signed by President – Default Avoided But Drama Ensues

Last week, the US avoided a potentially disastrous default by passing a debt ceiling increase in both wings of Congress. The House managed to pass the compromise on May 31^st, while the Senate closely followed on June 1^st. President Biden signed the legislation over the weekend on Saturday, bringing the crisis to a close. The deal increased the existing limit up until an expected January 2025 date and level, meaning the next potential increase will likely fall on the newly elected 119^th Congress to figure out.

The agreement actually relied more heavily on Democratic support to pass in both the House and Senate. In the upper chamber, the legislation passed in a 63-36 vote, with 44 Democrats (and both Independents) voting in favor, while only 17 Republicans did so. Although there doesn’t appear to be much fallout amongst Republican leadership in the Senate, this does not appear to be the case in the House. Several members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus have tried to halt the regular legislative processes on the floor this week, in a surprise move to try and get Republican leadership to clarify some of their rules going forward.

The smaller-than-expected number of GOP supporters for Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s debt ceiling deal has called into question his foothold as the top Republican in the House. Several critical voices have claimed he broke key promises made during his efforts to secure the Speaker’s gavel earlier this year. It remains to be seen whether there will be an official challenge to his position, but the small “revolt”—as many outlets have coined it—will need to be taken seriously given the Republicans’ slim control of the House.

Forest Service Releases New Forest Plans for the Sequoia and Sierra National Forests

The USDA Forest Service has released a final environmental impact statement and final decisions for the Sequoia and the Sierra national forests revised land management plans, through a Notice of Plan Approval in the Federal Register. Forest plans serve as strategic guidance documents for management of each national forest. Plans are developed with input from government, tribes, and public groups with an interest in each national forest. CAFB previously submitted comments in 2016 on the draft plans for both forests. For more information, and to access the revised land management plan, record of decision, and environmental impact statement, visit the Sequoia and Sierra Forest Plan Revision website.

CAFB Submits Comments to U.S. EPA on Proposal to Set PFAS Drinking Water Regulations

In response to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed rule seeking to set National Primary Drinking Water Regulations for six PFAS chemicals, California Farm Bureau submitted comments expressing the proposal. While California Farm Bureau supports U.S. EPA’s underlying goal of addressing widespread contamination of the environment caused by historic use of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), CAFB expressed concerns that the proposed Maximum Contaminant Level of 4 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS respectively overlooks the many challenges that will be placed on farm families located in rural communities. The comments also expressed concern that the costs to rural farming communities would be disproportionally burdensome with federal resources provided in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act being inadequate to subsidize added water provider compliance costs.

Senate Committee Examines Specialty Crops

in the Farm Bill

On Wednesday, the Senate Ag Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research held a Farm Bill hearing specifically on specialty crops. Senators on both sides noted the critical importance of helping ensure the specialty crop industry remains viable in the US. Topics ranged on everything from USDA support programs to nutrition and food benefits—as well as ag labor. On the latter issue, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) noted the increased costs of the H-2A labor program and its detrimental impacts on farmers in the Southeast (and elsewhere). With nearly 400 commodities here in California, including many specialty crops, farmers here are no strangers to the importance of ensuring the viability of many Farm Bill-supported programs. CAFB has noted the importance of expanding opportunities for specialty crops in ongoing Farm Bill discussions.