Posted on May 18, 2018

Farm Bill Fails in House, Amid Conservative Uprising over Immigration

Chad Pergram and Alex Pappas, Fox News, May 18, 2018

House Freedom Caucus members are trying to flex some muscle on immigration in exchange for support on the farm bill; chief congressional correspondent Mike Emanuel reports from Washington.

A sprawling and subsidy-packed farm bill that also would have tightened food stamp rules failed in the House on Friday, in a dramatic defeat for GOP leaders who faced an uprising from conservatives over inaction on immigration.

{snip}

At least 30 Republicans voted against the bill, while all Democratis opposed it — enough to doom the legislation. Ryan then took steps to call for a revote in the future, but it’s not clear when the measure might be revived.

{snip}

Before the farm bill failed, the freedom caucus had called for a vote on a conservative bill that would boost border security and support the construction of a wall, among other changes. GOP leaders had offered for the House to consider the measure in June in exchange for support on the farm package, a deal the conservatives rejected.

A spokesman for Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows, R-NC., said Friday he opposed the bill because not enough progress has been made toward a solution on immigration. The spokesman added Meadows look forward to continuing discussions in the coming days.

{snip}

Leadership has been hearing grief in stereo from both conservatives and moderates – who are insisting the House address protections for “DACA” recipients, young illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children. President Trump stripped those protections, calling on Congress to act. But the matter has been held up in court, and some moderate Republicans are trying to light a fire under House leadership to deal with the issue sooner rather than later.

{snip}

On top of the complicating factor of the immigration fight, the House on Thursday dealt with an effort to crack down on the government’s controversial sugar subsidy program. In a decisive 278-137 vote, the House rejected a bid by Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., to significantly weaken the program and invite more foreign competition.

But GOP leaders are also pushing to tighten work and job training requirements for food stamps, as part of the bill.

{snip}

Before the vote, Meadows said “the time is now” to deal with immigration and that the farm bill doesn’t face a pressing deadline. He said farmers “want us to deal with immigration and the farm bill both.”

{snip}

The uprising is also a symptom of the shaky leadership situation, with Ryan retiring. The balancing act is a test for his potential replacement candidates, McCarthy and Scalise.

{snip}