A bill to amend the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to suspend a prohibition on payments to certain farms with limited base acres for the 2008 and 2009 crop years, to extend the signup for direct payments and counter-cyclical payments for the 2008 crop year, and for other purposes.

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Sep 23, 2008

Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 with respect to producers, including peanut producers, with 10 or fewer base acres to: (1) suspend a prohibition on direct payments, counter-cyclical payments, or average crop revenue election payments; and (2) extend the 2008 signup deadline for direct payments and counter-cyclical payments until December 31, 2008.

Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to ensure that no penalty is assessed against producers for failure to submit reports or comply with other program requirements as a result of compliance with the extended signup deadline.

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA] · R–IA

Committees

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee

20 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Sep 23, 2008
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Sep 23, 2008
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in Senate · Sep 23, 2008 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Jan 14, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze S.3538 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.3538, 110th Congress: A bill to amend the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to suspend a prohibition on payments to certain farms with limited base acres for the 2008 and 2009 crop years, to extend the signup for direct payments and counter-cyclical payments for the 2008 crop year, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/110th-congress/senate-bill/3538

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2008-09-23.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/110/bills/s3538/BILLS-110s3538is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-14T16:42:01Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze S.3538 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.3538 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.3538, 110th Congress: A bill to amend the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to suspend a prohibition on payments to certain farms with limited base acres for the 2008 and 2009 crop years, to extend the signup for direct payments and counter-cyclical payments for the 2008 crop year, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/110th-congress/senate-bill/3538

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2008-09-23.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/110/bills/s3538/BILLS-110s3538is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-14T16:42:01Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.3538 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.3538 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.3538, 110th Congress: A bill to amend the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to suspend a prohibition on payments to certain farms with limited base acres for the 2008 and 2009 crop years, to extend the signup for direct payments and counter-cyclical payments for the 2008 crop year, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/110th-congress/senate-bill/3538

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2008-09-23.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/110/bills/s3538/BILLS-110s3538is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-14T16:42:01Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.3538 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.3538 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.3538, 110th Congress: A bill to amend the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to suspend a prohibition on payments to certain farms with limited base acres for the 2008 and 2009 crop years, to extend the signup for direct payments and counter-cyclical payments for the 2008 crop year, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/110th-congress/senate-bill/3538

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2008-09-23.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/110/bills/s3538/BILLS-110s3538is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-14T16:42:01Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.3538 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.