The U.S Senate is expected to vote on the Inflation Reduction Act on Saturday. The legislation is intended to address climate change, healthcare and inflation.
Republican Sen. John Boozman of Arkansas says he will vote against the bill, which is expected to pass with only Democratic support. During a speech on the Senate floor, Boozman, a ranking member of the U.S Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, said he is concerned this legislation will undermine the Farm Bill.
“When it comes to agricultural policy, this bill sets a particularly bad precedent for Farm Bill programs. If [Democrats] go down this road, we very well might be looking at [budget] reconciliation as the only way that future farm bills are actually written,” Boozman said. “Whoever wields the pen holds the faith of vital programs that farmers, ranchers and foresters depend on.”
According to the Congressional Research Service, budget reconciliation is a procedure that allows legislation to be passed through the annual budget resolution process, which allows legislation to be passed in the Senate with a simple majority instead of the 60 vote threshold.
Budget reconciliation can be used once a year and has to be approved by the Senate parliamentarian to make sure proposals are relevant to budgetary matters. Last year, President Joe Biden and Democrats used the process to pass the American Rescue Plan Act. In 2017, former President Donald Trump and Republicans used the act to pass the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Boozman also said he won’t support the Inflation Reduction Act because he doesn’t believe it will help the economy.
“Americans are struggling with high prices at every turn,” Boozman said. “Yet the majority wants them to pay billions for Green New Deal programs that could exacerbate energy security and food security concerns while using fuzzy math to sell this as fighting inflation.”
According to NPR News, the Congressional Budget Office estimates the legislation would decrease the deficit by $300 billion dollars, but wouldn’t have much of an effect on inflation.
KUAR News reached out to Sen. Tom Cotton to ask how he plans to vote. His office did not immediately respond.
