The Senate leadership continues to try and reach an agreement on the number of amendments that would be considered during the Senate’s deliberation of the farm bill.  Nearly 300 amendments had been filed by the end of last week, including a number of non-germane amendments that senators are requesting votes on.  Some of these include repeal of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS), withholding aid to Pakistan until leaders free an imprisoned doctor who helped U.S. forces, a ban on public funds to be used at national political conventions, defense spending and sequestration, allowing importation of polar bear trophies from Canadian sports hunts and more.  Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) says Republican members want votes on regulatory relief amendments, including a requirement that the Department of Labor consult with Congress before implementing child labor regulations for farms, stop the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating non-navigable waters, prevent the farm dust rule, Dodd-Frank financial regulations on futures and aerial surveillance.  Senator McConnell said, “These five commonsense Republican amendments I have outlined, along with several others, put an end to numerous job-killing regulations and each of them deserve a vote.”  The demand for votes on non-germane amendments is a major issue at this time.