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Farm Bill May Move Without Democrats

Bill's expanded work requirements are a non-starter for Dems

Photo: Carolyn Kaster, STF
Photo: Carolyn Kaster, STF

According to a report at Agri-Pulse, House Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway said he is “going forward” with moving a new farm bill next month despite the refusal of Democrats to negotiate over provisions expanding work requirements and reworking eligibility rules for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

“I”m quite frankly excited about defending our SNAP proposals” in negotiations with the Senate, Conaway said, speaking at a Washington Examiner event Thursday morning.

The Texas Republican said he was “deeply disappointed, hurt quite frankly, that Collin led his team to the sidelines,” referring to the committee’s ranking Democrat, Collin Peterson of Minnesota.

Asked if the bill would only have GOP support when it reaches the House floor, Conaway said, “We’re talking about a bill that gets 218 votes, I don’t care if they are Democratic votes or Republican votes, we’re going to get 218 votes.”

Peterson, in a later interview, said the bill's expanded work requirements are a non-starter for Democrats. Republicans "say they have to have it. Our side won’t negotiate," he said. He blamed House Speaker Paul Ryan for the impasse, saying he was insisting on using the farm bill to advance GOP welfare reform ideas.

Peterson also warned if the bill gets to a conference committee with the Senate that he will side with the Senate Agriculture leaders, leaving Conaway on his own to defend the House bill's nutrition title.

Read the full report at Agri-Pulse.

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