Top Republican senators are not fans of President Donald Trump's $12 billion bailout of American farm workers whose businesses have been hurt by retaliatory tariffs, The Daily Beast reports.
"It's awful," Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Az., told the outlet. "American farmers want markets, not handouts. This is what we feared all along — that this would just turn into more aid programs."
"They're not going to be able to survive if this continues down the same path," Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., said of the farmers in his state. "If it means having a short-term aid package, that's better than nothing. Certainly, we all agree that a free-trade plan long-term is really what we need."
The comments come the same day the Agriculture Department announced its short-term plan to help farmers through a mix of payments, purchases and trade promotion efforts. The industry has taken a major hit following Trump's move to slap tariffs on imports from some of America's largest foreign buyers, including Canada, China, and Mexico.
The three countries account for 43 percent of purchases in 2017. All three are embroiled in conflicts with the U.S.
"This is obviously a short-term solution that will give President Trump time to work on a long-term trade policy and deal to benefit agriculture as well as all sectors of the American economy," Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said during a call with reporters.
Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said the administration was putting farmers on welfare.
"Our farmers have been in nonstop saying they want trade not aid. And now they're being put on welfare. So, the tariff policies that have been put in place by the administration are now causing them to invoke a welfare policy for our farmers, which I'm sure is not what they wish," Corker said.
"The administration creates a problem for farmers, and now they need to put them on welfare. I think that's kind of a misplaced policy," he added.
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