The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a new farm bill , without the support of the majority of the Wisconsin delegation. La Crosse Democrat Ron Kind wants President Bush to veto the five year, $290 billion package. "The president is right when he says we can do better," said Kind. "There's no justifiable reason to look taxpayers in the eyes and tell them we have to use some of their money to give lavish subsidies to wealthy individuals . . . at a time of record prices." Kind says the bill will allow subsidies to go out to people making up to $2.5 million in profit.
Janesville Republican Paul Ryan also wants a veto. "This farm bill represents a bill, as Ron said, that's giving high subsidies to high net worth individuals," said Ryan, adding that the bill will hurt family farmers while soaking taxpayers at a time of rising food prices. Ryan and Wisconsin's Jim Sensebrenner and Tom Petri were among the Republicans voting against the measure, which passed 318-to106 . Kind and Milwaukee's Gwen Moore were two of only fifteen Democrats to vote no on the bill, which the president has promised to veto.