President Bush and House leaders abandoning farm disaster victims

Recently the U.S. Senate unanimously passed an emergency assistance program, with bipartisan support from 15 cosponsors, to help farm and ranch families across the nation cope with natural disaster losses. Congressman Charles Stenholm, D-Texas, and 41 additional House members from both parties have introduced the Senate measure in the House. But President Bush ignored the critical program in his recent supplemental appropriations request to Speaker Hastert and now the House Rules Committee will not even allow a vote on the Stenholm disaster bill.