17 Republican members of Congress got $5.3 million in farm subsidies from 1995 to 2009

Republican lawmakers, who dominate rural congressional seats, are the biggest recipients of farm subsidies, a new analysis from the Environmental Working Group shows. EWG "says 17 Republicans in Congress and six Democrats received payments from 1995 to 2009 either directly or through family members," Philip Brasher of the Des Moines Register reports. In terms of total money received, Republicans collected $5.3 million in subsidies while Democrats collected $489,856.

"The fact that so many more Republicans in Congress receive so much more in farm subsidies than their Democratic colleagues does highlight the GOP’s controversial decision to spare those programs from the budget ax – even as it slashes funding for so many others," EWG says. EWG notes that two subsidy recipients, Charles Grassley of Iowa and Richard Lugar of Indiana, "have been long-time leaders in the effort to reform federal farm programs" and "have fought to right the gross inequity of sending 74 percent of taxpayer-funded payments to the largest and wealthiest 10 percent of farm operations." (Read more)