U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said the U.S. Senate did its part in passing a farm bill and he wished the House would do the same. He said the bill’s stalled status in Congress puts a hold on drought relief for farmers.

Durbin pointed out that the Senate passed a farm bill four weeks ago with a bipartisan vote.

“A five-year farm bill that saves $23 billion off the deficit and the House wouldn’t even call the bill for a vote,” he said. “I wish they would and if they did I think it would pass and it would be good, particularly with the disasters that we’re facing to give the farmers some certainty about their future.”

The current farm bill is set to expire at the end of September.

In the meantime, President Obama is directing the Agriculture Department to authorize an additional $30 million dollars to help farmers in drought-stricken areas of the U.S.

That spending does not require congressional approval.