U.S. Senator Dick Durbin is applauding the bipartisan efforts of a divided Congress on finally passing a much-awaited Farm Bill. But the Democrat says he's disappointed the federal government will continue to subsidize so-called corporate farmers.
"Why is it these House Republicans can work themselves into a fever over cutting $130 a month in food stamps for an elderly widow living by herself and then look the other way when we try to limit the subsidy payments to multi-million dollar farmers?" -Senator Dick Durbin
Durbin says the $8 billion in food stamp cuts in the new Farm Bill were harsh, but not as deep as they could have been.
More than 2 million people in Illinois receive food stamp benefits, according to the USDA.