Alcee Hastings: “Defeating the previous question as proposed by the gentleman will allow us to permanently extend Chapter 12 protection…”

“Defeating the previous question as proposed by the gentleman will allow us to permanently extend Chapter 12 protection for farmers. The House has already voted on three separate occasions in this Congress to extend these bankruptcy protections for farmers. Sporadic and temporary extensions leave farmers uncertain of their future. Even as they face record drought, and the gentleman from Montana (Mr. Rehberg) from the other side and I have a drought bill that a substantial number of Members have joined on that we consider critical for our Nation's farmers, and when they experience poor harvest in many regions of the country. In the absence of Chapter 12, farmers are forced to file bankruptcy under much less favorable terms. Permanent extension as proposed by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Holden) will ease these pressures.”