National Briefing | Washington: Bush Says Proposed Farm Bill Is Too Costly

President Bush criticized a farm bill making its way through Congress, saying it would increase spending by at least $16 billion at a time of record farm income. Mr. Bush issued a statement intended to put pressure on House and Senate negotiators to develop legislation that would be acceptable to the White House. On Friday, Mr. Bush signed a one-week extension of current farm law to give lawmakers more time to work, and urged a one-year extension of the law. “With record farm income, now is not the time for Congress to ask other sectors of the economy to pay higher taxes to increase the size of government,” Mr. Bush said. House and Senate negotiators are trying to resolve differences in bills approved by both chambers last year that authorize $286 billion in spending over five years.