Lincoln chalks ups victories in 2007
Posted on Sunday, December 23, 2007
BENTON COUNTY — U. S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln, DArk., talked Thursday about several pieces of legislation she successfully championed this year.
Many of them were passed by the U. S. Senate in recent weeks.
Lincoln talked about legislation aimed at helping low- to middle-income homeowners, disabled veterans and members of the National Guard and Reserve, and others.
While there’s a lot for the U. S. House and U. S. Senate to do in 2008, she feels good about many pieces of legislation passed this year, Lincoln said.
“ We’ve got lots more to do, but I feel very positive about what we’ve been able to accomplish. We passed landmark energy legislation, which was signed into law yesterday. And that promotes renewable fuels, it lessens our dependence on foreign oil, it cleans up our environment, and it creates new American jobs. ” she said. “ We’re going to follow up next year with a tax component to it that’s going to be very productive and enabling to many of our entrepreneurs and businesses. ”
The farm bill was needed legislation and deserved the wide support it got, Lincoln said. The bill passed the U. S. Senate Agriculture Committee on a unanimous vote and got 78 votes in the Senate.
The five-year, $ 257 billion farm bill increases loan rates for commodities by 6 percent and provides higher target prices for soybeans, barley oats and some other crops. The bill encourages conservation practices with tax incentives, and provides more money for rural development than the last farm bill, approved in 2002.
To tell livestock producers and other consumers of the origin of their food, the bill also implements Country of Origin Labeling.
“ As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I was proud that we were able to pass a strong, fair and balanced farm bill that contains the most significant reform in the history of any farm bill while maintaining the strong safety net relied upon by all American producers. I’m very proud the bill make an investment in our country’s nutrition, conservation, rural development and energy priorities, ” Lincoln said.
As Americans continue to serve in Iraq and Afghanistan, it’s important to see that members of the National Guard and Reserve get benefits commensurate with their increased sacrifice. Lincoln said she has secured a change in the National Defense Authorization Act to increase the time National Guard and Reserve members who serve in Iraq and Afghanistan are able to use the educational benefits they’ve earned.
“(It’s ) up to 10 years after their separation from service, the same time their active duty counterparts are allowed, ” she said.
Also, the Senate approved the Defenders of Freedom Tax Relief Act, which includes a Lincoln-backed provision to prevent disabled veterans from being unfairly taxed because of administrative errors by the VA.
The Senate also approved a tax deduction for homeowners who pay private mortgage insurance premiums and make less than $ 110, 000 a year, Lincoln said.
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