The old rural-urban alliance that married farm and nutrition programs failed to get a Farm Bill through the House this afternoon. The bill lost 195-234, with food stamps apparently the main issue amogn both parties. Among Republicans, 62 voted against the bill; many thought its $2 billion annual cut in food stamps wasn't enough. For all but a few Democrats, it was too much, For the roll call, click here.
The House seemed ready to pass the bill this afternoon "after the Agriculture Committee leadership agreed to a sweeping en bloc amendment Wednesday night to greatly shorten the time of debate" and protect the bill from weekend lobbying, David Rogers reports for Politico. The amendment passed 217-208, clearing the decks for votes on more controversial amendments and final passage or defeat.
Rep. Mike Conaway, R-Tex., agreed to let his "divisive food-stamp amendment" fail on a voice vote to help attract Democratic votes needed to pass the bill, Rogers writes. The House later rejected an amendment by Rep. Mike Huelskamp, R-Kan., to impose certain work requirements on food-stamp recipients, but then voted 227-198 for an amendment by Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Fla., to allow states to set their own work requirements. That may have doomed the bill, which drew only 24 Democratic votes. Rep. Collin Peterson of Minnesota, ranking Democrat on the agriculture panel, told Rogers the amendment was "the last straw. . . . I had a bunch of people come up to me and say, ‘I was with you but this is it. I’m done.’” Peterson had expected 40 Democrats to vote for the bill.
Some Democrats abandoned the bill because the House voted with Speaker John Boehner and milk processors to deleted the dairy market stabilization section of the bill. Rogers writes that the battle "may be best described as the well-connected vs. the well-heeled. Politically influential milk co-ops like Dairy Farmers of America dominate one side; Kraft Foods, Dean Foods and Nestle, the Swiss international company, are on the other." (Read more)
So what happens now? "House Republicans will either have to start over — or, possibly, go to conference without a bill and try to negotiate something with the Senate," writes Brad Plumer of The Washington Post. "This is basically what happened when the House failed to pass a highway bill last year. House lawmakers would still have to approve whatever bill comes out of conference."
"One big question is whether the committee will shed some of its insularity and embrace more reforms as a way to win back Democrats angered by the food-stamp cuts," Rogers writes. "A proposed $50,000 cap per farmer on crop-insurance premium subsidies failed only narrowly and is too severe for Peterson and Lucas to accept, but some cut in the 62 percent subsidy rate is doable without jeopardizing the larger program." (Read more)
The House seemed ready to pass the bill this afternoon "after the Agriculture Committee leadership agreed to a sweeping en bloc amendment Wednesday night to greatly shorten the time of debate" and protect the bill from weekend lobbying, David Rogers reports for Politico. The amendment passed 217-208, clearing the decks for votes on more controversial amendments and final passage or defeat.
Rep. Mike Conaway, R-Tex., agreed to let his "divisive food-stamp amendment" fail on a voice vote to help attract Democratic votes needed to pass the bill, Rogers writes. The House later rejected an amendment by Rep. Mike Huelskamp, R-Kan., to impose certain work requirements on food-stamp recipients, but then voted 227-198 for an amendment by Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Fla., to allow states to set their own work requirements. That may have doomed the bill, which drew only 24 Democratic votes. Rep. Collin Peterson of Minnesota, ranking Democrat on the agriculture panel, told Rogers the amendment was "the last straw. . . . I had a bunch of people come up to me and say, ‘I was with you but this is it. I’m done.’” Peterson had expected 40 Democrats to vote for the bill.
Some Democrats abandoned the bill because the House voted with Speaker John Boehner and milk processors to deleted the dairy market stabilization section of the bill. Rogers writes that the battle "may be best described as the well-connected vs. the well-heeled. Politically influential milk co-ops like Dairy Farmers of America dominate one side; Kraft Foods, Dean Foods and Nestle, the Swiss international company, are on the other." (Read more)
So what happens now? "House Republicans will either have to start over — or, possibly, go to conference without a bill and try to negotiate something with the Senate," writes Brad Plumer of The Washington Post. "This is basically what happened when the House failed to pass a highway bill last year. House lawmakers would still have to approve whatever bill comes out of conference."
"One big question is whether the committee will shed some of its insularity and embrace more reforms as a way to win back Democrats angered by the food-stamp cuts," Rogers writes. "A proposed $50,000 cap per farmer on crop-insurance premium subsidies failed only narrowly and is too severe for Peterson and Lucas to accept, but some cut in the 62 percent subsidy rate is doable without jeopardizing the larger program." (Read more)
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