The chief Senate sponsor of cattle market reform legislation is hopeful the full Senate will consider his bill soon now that the Agriculture Committee has given it and another cattle bill strong bipartisan approval.
Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley’s Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act, also led by Nebraska’s Deb Fisher, and the separate Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act by Montana’s Jon Tester could be on the Senate floor soon—the only question is when.
Grassley; “Tester has been in communication with Schumer, and Tester tells me that Schumer wants to bring it up. Didn’t get any idea on the timing of it.” Politically, any push to take a bite out of inflation is important to Democrats, facing headwinds in November.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi during House debate on a USDA special investigator said; “Cracking down on the market power of big conglomerates, increasing competition, will ensure that ranchers get their fair deal for their livestock, while families get a good price for meat and poultry.”
From Grassley’s perspective; “The bipartisan bill I wrote with Senators Fisher, Tester, Wyden, ensures that Iowa cattle feeders can finally get a fair price and fair treatment.”
Grassley’s bill has at least ten Senate GOP cosponsors needed to overcome a filibuster. Tester’s bill is still short. The House companion to Tester’s special investigator bill, passed with just seven GOP votes.
