Earl Pomeroy

Agriculture

Since coming to the House, Pomeroy has been supportive of his state's farmers, seeking an energy and trade policy that is intended to benefit North Dakota farmers.

In June 2009, Pomeroy voted against House Democrats' climate-change bill that would effectively set a price for carbon emissions, claiming it hurt rural cooperatives are based on coal power. He also called the emissions targets outlined in the bill unrealistic, calling for more research into clean-coal technology and less restrictive timelines on emissions reduction.

Pomeroy supported a provision in President Obama's budget for fiscal year 2010 that set a $250,000 subsidy cap for farmers, saying large farming operations can do without subsidies. He voiced reservations over an end to direct payments to farmers who have more than $500,000 in revenue, because the move might hurt family farmers as well. In May 2009, Pomeroy pledged to oppose that cut.

Pomeroy, along with Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) and Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.), played key roles in crafting the 2008 farm bill, which was threatened by a George W. Bush veto. The bill created a permanent safety net for farmers hit by natural disasters and included a guaranteed minimum price for sugar-beet growers.

Pomeroy is an advocate of country-of-origin labeling for agricultural products, sponsoring legislation that incorporated the voluntary practice for imports into the 2002 farm bill. The practice was made mandatory in the 2008 farm bill.

During a 2004 visit by grain buyers from China, Pomeroy promoted trade with the country, saying its large population is a good market for American wheat.

A vocal opponent of the Central American Free Trade Agreement, Pomeroy voted against ratification in 2005 because it would hurt North Dakota's sugar-beet industry.

Health Care

In a July 2009 Ways and Means committee vote, Pomeroy opposed House Democrats' health-care reform bill. He criticized it because it contained a public option that would set government rates at Medicare levels. Medicare pays hospitals and doctors less than private insurers.

But in a joint statement released with other members of the North Dakota delegation, Pomeroy announced in March 2010 he would back President Obama's health-care overhaul, arguing that "doing nothing was not an option." They cited the "Frontier State" provision that would provide higher reimbursement rates for Medicare to North Dakota doctors and hospitals.

Pomeroy backed the 2003 Medicare prescriptionbbill, which added a prescription drug benefit to the program while increasing funding for rural health-care providers.

The Economy and Government Spending

In 2003, Pomeroy sponsored an alternative to the estate tax repeal, which would have exempted from taxes all estates of $3 million for individuals and $6 million for couples. In 2005, he proposed a $3.5 million exemption for individuals and $7 million for couples. Both of his proposals were rejected, with Congress approving a repeal that phases out the tax by 2010 and resets it the following year.

Pomeroy has repeatedly served as his party's point person on Social Security throughout his congressional career. The co-chair of the House Democrats' Social Security Task Force in 2005 and 2006, Pomeroy criticized the George W. Bush administration's proposal to privatize some if it benefits. Pomeroy believed the plan would ultimately reduce benefits.

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