Another battle line has been drawn in the high-profile U.S. Senate race in Arkansas, as the candidates are at war over the Farm Bill making its way through Congress this week.
The Rep. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), voted against the bill Wednesday, while the man whose U.S. Senate seat he's challenging, Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), said he will vote for it.
The U.S. Farm Bill easily cleared the house Wednesday morning and now heads to the Senate for a vote, possibly Thursday.
The measure would expand insurance payments to farmers in years when they have bad crops, while eliminating the direct payment program, which pays farmers whether they plant crops or not.
Challenger Tom Cotton voted against the bill, saying, "This bill spends too much and leaves Arkansas farmers with too little. Arkansas farmers will receive barely 0.5% of one percent of its bloated $956 billion price tag, half of what they received in the 2008 bill."
Pryor, the man trying to hold onto the senate seat, said he plans to cast a yes vote, adding, "The bill means good jobs and economic security for families across Arkansas." Pryor also said the bill ensures farmers are protected in times of severe weather and natural disasters.
The other three members of Arkansas' House Delegation voted for the bill, including Rep. Steve Womack (R-Ark.), Tim Griffin (R-Ark.) and Rick Crawford (R-Ark.).
The bill still needs to be passed in Senate and signed by the president to be made into a law. Both chambers reached agreement on the bill this week, making its final passage almost certain.