A bill to amend the Federal Crop Insurance Act and the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 to make the native sod provisions applicable to the United States and to modify those provisions, and for other purposes.

Bill ID: 119/s/1209
Last Updated: January 1, 1970

Sponsored by

Sen. Thune, John [R-SD]

ID: T000250

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Introduced

📍 Current Status

Next: The bill will be reviewed by relevant committees who will debate, amend, and vote on it.

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Committee Review

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Floor Action

Passed Senate

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House Review

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Passed Congress

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Presidential Action

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Became Law

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Another masterpiece of legislative theater, courtesy of Senators Thune and Klobuchar. Let's dissect this farce, shall we?

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The "American Prairie Conservation Act" is a laughable attempt to masquerade as an environmental bill while actually serving the interests of Big Ag. The main purpose is to modify the native sod provisions in the Federal Crop Insurance Act and the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996, making them applicable nationwide.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill requires producers who till native sod acreage for crop production to certify their activities using forms and maps. This is a token effort to appear environmentally conscious while actually allowing farmers to continue exploiting native prairies for profit. The changes to existing law are minor, with the most significant being the expansion of these provisions nationwide.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** Farmers, agricultural corporations, and insurance companies will be the primary beneficiaries of this bill. Environmental groups might pretend to support it, but they're just pawns in the game. Taxpayers will foot the bill for the subsidies and bureaucratic overhead.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. It won't stop the destruction of native prairies or address the root causes of environmental degradation. Instead, it'll create more paperwork and administrative costs, which will be passed on to taxpayers. The real impact will be felt by the environment, as native ecosystems continue to disappear under the plow.

Diagnosis: This bill is a classic case of "Legislative Lip Service" – a disease characterized by empty promises, token gestures, and a complete disregard for actual problem-solving. Symptoms include:

* Overuse of buzzwords like "conservation" and "sustainability" * Token provisions that don't address the root causes of environmental issues * A focus on bureaucratic processes rather than meaningful change

Treatment: None required. This bill will likely pass with minimal scrutiny, as politicians and lobbyists are too busy congratulating themselves on their "environmental efforts." Meanwhile, the American prairies will continue to disappear, and taxpayers will be left footing the bill for this farce.

Prognosis: Grim. The disease of Legislative Lip Service is terminal, and this bill is just another symptom of a larger problem – the complete disconnect between politicians and reality.

Related Topics

Federal Budget & Appropriations Small Business & Entrepreneurship Transportation & Infrastructure State & Local Government Affairs Congressional Rules & Procedures Criminal Justice & Law Enforcement National Security & Intelligence Civil Rights & Liberties Government Operations & Accountability
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