The House is poised to debate the Farm Bill tonight -- expected to vote at 10 p.m. Reps. Leonard Boswell, D-Ia., and Rep. Jim Leach, R-Ia., are undecided, according to aides. Please call your Representative now, especially Rep. Boswell and Rep. Leach. Call **tonight** (the Capitol Switchboard number is 202-224-3121) and urge your Representative to vote "Yes" on the Boehlert/Kind/Gilchrest/Dingell amendment to H.R. 2646, the Farm Bill. If you wish to offer specific points in support of your position, tell the person taking your call that the amendment makes both economic and environmental sense because it would help farmers protect water quality, conserve our nation's critical natural resources and conserve prime farmland as well as wetlands, forests, grassland and other wildlife habitats. By JANE NORMAN Register Washington Bureau 10/03/2001 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Washington, D.C. - The House was poised Tuesday to begin debate on a new farm bill, despite uncertainty over how much money will be available and the potential for a charged conservation debate. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Larry Combest, R-Texas, and Rep. Charles Stenholm of Texas, the committee's top Democrat, have written a bill that would cost $73 billion more than current spending for programs during the next 10 years, money that was expected to come out of the budget surplus. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman has said it is unclear how much will be available for farm spending given the lagging economy and the costs associated with last month's terrorist attacks. Clipped here>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The most fiery debate is expected to be over an amendment proposed by a coalition of lawmakers headed by Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., and Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, R-N.Y., that shifts $1.9 billion a year to conservation efforts. The amendment is similar to the conservation approach favored by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin, D-Ia., who recently released bipartisan principles of agreement with Lugar. The Bush administration has been critical of farm subsidies that fail to promote conservation. Rep. Tom Latham, R-Ia., who opposes the Kind amendment, said he believes Combest will yank the bill from the floor if the amendment is approved. Rep. Greg Ganske, R-Ia., said he, too, will oppose the amendment because it would mean less money for Iowa farmers. Reps. Leonard Boswell, D-Ia., and Rep. Jim Leach, R-Ia., are undecided, according to aides. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For SC email list T-and-C, send: GET TERMS-AND-CONDITIONS.CURRENT to [log in to unmask]