A bill to amend the Federal Crop Insurance Act, and for other purposes.
Latest action. Referred to Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.
Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to raise the amount of the capital stock of the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) to $400,000,000. Increases the maximum compensation of members of the FCIC Advisory Committee and of members of the Board of Directors who are not otherwise employed by the Government to no greater than the daily rate for GS-18. Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to appoint three active farmers, not otherwise employed by the Government, to the Board of Directors. Eliminates county crop insurance committees and associations of producers from the administration of the insurance program. Makes insurance available to producers of agricultural commodities wherever grown commercially for crops planted for harvest and other agricultural production (including grain sorghum, livestock, and poultry commercially produced for food or fiber) initiated in 1981 through 1985. Limits the coverage of such insurance to the cost of production for the producer for the commodity insured (currently, not more than 75 percent of the average yield for a representative period of years). Authorizes insurance against losses incurred when flooding prevents the planting of a crop. Provides for a 33 1/3 percent Federal subsidy of each participant's premium. Requires the offer of additional reinsurance on multiple peril crop insurance risks. Removes the $12,000,000 limitation on appropriations authorized for fiscal year 1981 and subsequent fiscal years. Identifies in the United States Treasury a separate revolving fund of $5,000,000 for the Corporation's use in covering Federal premium payments. Grants the Corporation discretionary borrowing authority, but limits the maximum outstanding amount of notes or other obligations to $500,000,000. Limits eligibility for production loss disaster payments to indemnification payments under the Federal crop insurance program, in any county where such insurance is available. Requires the Corporation to undertake an information program for farmers concerning the Federal crop insurance program. Authorizes the appropriation of a minimum of $5,000,000 annually for fiscal years 1980 and 1981 for such program. Authorizes the use of the mails, broadcasting facilities, and counseling services for such program, but prohibits sales promotion activity in any form. Directs the Corporation to perform studies assessing the feasibility of: (1) insuring the risk of production loss due to prevention of planting caused by natural disaster other than flooding; and (2) individual risk underwriting under the Federal crop insurance program. Requires the Secretary to initiate, not later than October 1, 1983, a complete evaluation of the Federal crop insurance program, and to report his findings and recommendations to the President and Congress by September 30, 1984.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in Senate" stage on March 13, 1979. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on March 13, 1979: Referred to Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the Senate
- Passage by the House
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 96th Congress (1979-80), 613 of the 12,581 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 4.9 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
WALTER HUDDLESTON (D-KY) introduced it on March 13, 1979. No cosponsors are recorded.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on March 13, 1979, 17348 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 17348 days ago, on March 13, 1979.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 96th Congress has not finished by January 3, 1981 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- SenateIn committee, no floor vote yet
- HouseAwaits Senate passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers