WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 (UPI) -- The Bush administration will oppose farm-disaster aid that is not offset by cuts to other agricultural programs, the U.S. agriculture secretary said Tuesday.
President George W. Bush has consistently said "offsets" were required to finance agricultural assistance, Mike Johanns told a Senate Appropriations subcommittee.
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Several senators and House members are trying to include $3 billion to $4.5 billion in farm-disaster aid in an Iraq supplemental-spending bill that Congress hopes to pass by April.
Johanns said part of the Agriculture Department's farm bill would help farmers hit by weather adversity.