Conservative revolt sinks $867B farm bill in House
WASHINGTON — In a major political setback, House Republicans failed Friday to pass an $867 billion farm bill that aimed to impose strict new work requirements for food stamp recipients.
Conservatives refused to support the measure unless House leaders agreed to hold a vote on a separate immigration bill.
The unraveling of the farm measure on the House floor was an embarrassment for GOP leaders, who had expressed confidence they could pass the traditionally bipartisan farm bill without the support of Democrats.
The new restrictions on food stamp aid, which threaten to expel millions of recipients from the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, or SNAP, had driven Democrats to oppose the measure. The bill failed 213-198. The rebellion of the conservative House Freedom Caucus signaled renewed fissures within the GOP as midterm congressional elections approach.
It was also a setback for President Donald Trump, who had crusaded for the farm bill, rallying for it Thursday in a tweet that lauded the measure’s work requirements.
House Democrats erupted in cheers when the measure failed.
The GOP’s “heartless bill would have slashed $23 billion in SNAP benefits for children, seniors, students, 1.5 million veterans, 23,000 service members, individuals with disabilities and working families,” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said. She urged the GOP to craft a bipartisan farm bill that Democrats could support.
Members of the Freedom Caucus broke with leadership on the bill over their Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and other conservatives helped defeat the bill, which dealt a setback to President Trump. demands that the House take up their immigration and border security bills.
The conservatives said they would not cast votes for the farm bill unless lawmakers were also given an opportunity to vote on a restrictive immigration measure that is backed by them and Trump.
Conservative Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said some members had concerns over the farm bill, but said, “my main focus was making sure we do immigration policy right” and “actually build a border security wall.”
House leaders demurred, offering instead to call a vote on the immigration bill in June.
The flareup comes amid growing political discord amongRepublicans over immigration as November elections approach.
Party leadership has been scrambling to keep immigration from dominating discussion in Congress, fearful that it will hurt GOP chances to hold on to power in the House.
But restive members of the rank and file are eager to have the debate now, and they are engaged in parliamentary maneuvering that promises to bring the issue up in Congress.
As tea party members push their immigration measures, a group of moderate Republicans is gaining support for a separate effort to force a vote on four immigration bills that include new paths to citizenship for some immigrants who were brought to the country as children.
They are working with Democrats to advance the proposals to a floor vote over the objections of GOP leaders.
The unraveling of the farm bill Friday makes it more likely that the GOP leadership will be unable to stop an open floor debate on immigration measures.
Republicans in the meantime are vowing they will get a five-year farm bill measure passed by the end of September, when the existing farm bill expires.
“Wemaybedown, but we are not out,” said a statement from House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway, a Texas Republican.