The first week of Congresses’ lame duck session was widely heralded as being important to the life-line of the economy. But, nothing happened as efforts to pass a second stimulus package failed. The House did pass a bill that the white House and Republicans didn’t like. The only bill that did pass Congress was an extension of unemployment benefits.

The bill that failed to pass the Senate contained a number of agriculture-related items, including 171 million for modernization of the Farm Service Agency’s computer system. The bill also contained disaster assistance for southern farmers and money for implementation of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission provisions contained in the 2008 farm bill.

As for the Big Three automakers, they are likely spending quality time together, working on a proposal to satisfy Congress, so they can qualify for a “bail out”. The leaders of GM, Ford and Chrysler are due back in Washington Monday to make their case.