Vote on Amendment No. 2433 to the 2012 Farm Bill expected today.
In advance of the Senate’s consideration of amendments to the 2012 Farm Bill today, the Coalition for Sugar Reform released the following statement urging Senators to support Amendment NO. 2433.
“Last week’s narrow 50-46 defeat of the Shaheen sugar amendment is evidence that there is clearly support on both sides of the aisle to reform the current U.S. sugar program. Today, Senators have an opportunity to build on the momentum of that vote by supporting the only amendment that constitutes real reform of the program — Amendment NO. 2433.
“We urge the Senate to support this bipartisan approach to sugar reform. Amendment No. 2433 is identical to a bipartisan amendment sponsored by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, Richard Lugar, Richard Durbin, Mark Kirk, Pat Toomey, Dan Coats, Rob Portman, Dianne Feinstein, Sheldon Whitehouse and Kelly Ayotte.
“Amendment No. 2433 would roll back some of the most onerous aspects of current sugar policy, and would reform, not repeal, the program. The amendment, if passed, could help generate $3.5 billion in savings for U.S. consumers and businesses and help create an additional 20,000 U.S. jobs annually.
“The Coalition for Sugar Reform urges Senators to vote in favor of this amendment to help American consumers and help preserve 600,000 jobs in America’s sugar-using industries.”
For more information about U.S. sugar policy and why reform is long overdue to protect the nation’s consumers, food manufacturers, and small businesses, visit www.SugarReform.org.
