Source: POLITICO'S MORNING AGRICULTURE, 5/23/19

With a final site selection for ERS and NIFA likely before the end of May (some insiders expect it could be announced Friday), critics of the proposal have been watching Congress for any sign that lawmakers might try to fight the relocation.

House appropriators on Wednesday sent a warning shot Perdue's way, tucking language into their fiscal 2020 Agriculture-FDA spending bill that would block the move, along with the plan to bring ERS under the control of USDA's chief economist, effectively moving it closer to the secretary's office, your host reported.

Here's the caveat: The bill isn't likely to become law anytime soon, whereas the relocation is expected to happen this summer. The Senate would also have to agree to the provision. In the current appropriations law for USDA, Congress settled for non-binding language that directed Perdue to provide further justification for the move before proceeding, but stopped short of a real confrontation.

The Agriculture-FDA measure, which includes $24.3 billion in discretionary spending, is scheduled for a subcommittee markup today at 10 a.m. (Tune in here.)

What else is in the bill? The FDA would get $3.26 billion, including extra funds for food safety efforts aimed at accelerating the agency's response to foodborne illness outbreaks. It also includes new funding for school breakfast expansion grants "for the first time since 2012," per Appropriations Chair Nita Lowey .