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House farm bill anticipated soon
Story Date: 4/12/2018
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Source: POLITICO'S MORNING AGRICULTURE, 4/11/18
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway could release his long-awaited farm bill Thursday or Friday, if the buzz around Washington is any indication.
The committee is keeping a tight lid on its timeline for rollout and there are two competing camps of rumors (It's definitely happening Thursday! vs. No, it's actually going to be released Friday). There's also a third camp that believes the whole rollout will be scuttled by broader political forces. Whatever the timing, big questions remain about how the House will proceed.
The Peterson whip count: Ranking member Collin Peterson told reporters on Tuesday that he still doesn't believe Conaway has the votes to pass a Republican bill through the House. Between Freedom Caucus members (who still haven't seen the text) and a handful of moderate Rs, the Minnesota Democrat thinks there could be some 50 Rs not on board.
"Unless something breaks on this food stamp stuff, the likely outcome is an extension," Peterson said during a meeting with the North American Agricultural Journalists. "I just don't see how this works."
Partisan blame game: Peterson said he's convinced Conaway is taking marching orders from House Speaker Paul Ryan on work requirements and SNAP E&T. On the other side of the aisle, however, there's a deep belief that Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is giving marching orders to rank-and-file Democrats to hamper the farm bill process for political reasons. On Monday, Pelosi sent out a Dear Colleague letter urging lawmakers to oppose the GOP's "disastrous" farm bill.
An opening for reformers?: Even if Conaway can pull together enough votes to pass a Republican farm bill, Peterson said all the amendments that could hitch a ride to the bill could drastically alter farm programs like crop insurance.
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