Newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson is laying out an ambitious floor schedule that calls for the chamber to vote on a new farm bill in December.
Johnson was elected speaker in a 220-209 vote Wednesday afternoon after a three-week search within the House Republican Conference for a new leader. Johnson, the fourth designee from the conference in that time period, received unanimous GOP support in a House floor vote.
In a letter to colleagues, Johnson, R-La., says the House should pass the farm bill in December “and await Senate action. Begin negotiations as soon as possible.”
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson, R-Pa., told Agri-Pulse after Johnson's election that he was pleased to see the farm bill "on the dates of the calendar he laid out."
Thompson hasn't discussed the bill in any detail with Johnson. But Thompson said, ""I think I have his trust in terms of putting the farm bill together." Thompson said Johnson knows that he wants to ensure the bill has bipartisan support.
Johnson, addressing reporters on the Capitol steps, said he was dispensing with the usual ceremonial affairs that go along with a new speakership.
"We went through a lot to get here, but we are ready to govern and that will begin right away. ... The American people's business is too urgent in this moment. The hour is late. The crisis is great," he said.
His letter, dated Monday, doesn’t mention moving an extension of the 2018 farm bill, which will likely be necessary regardless of whether the House considers its version of a new bill in December.
Johnson also called for creating a working group to figure out how to modify the fiscal 2024 spending bill for USDA, FDA and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Johnson then wants the full House to consider the bill on the floor the week of Nov. 13.
After Johnson was sworn in, the House pivoted to a pro-Israel resolution and to the FY24 Energy and Water bill, which has been languishing since Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.,, was ousted as speaker Oct. 3 and the House was unable to conduct legislative business.
Johnson’s agenda has the House finishing work on all of its individual FY24 spending bills ahead of the Nov. 17 expiration of a stopgap bill that has been funding the government since the fiscal year started Oct. 1.
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Johnson says the House should pass a new continuing resolution to fund the government until Jan. 15 or April 15, depending on which date can obtain a consensus of House Republicans and “ensure the Senate cannot jam the House with a Christmas omnibus.”
Johnson, who has been serving as the vice chair of the GOP conference, once chaired the Republican Study Committee, a broad conservative group that has repeatedly issued budget plans calling for deep cuts in farm programs and nutrition spending.
Thompson dismissed the significance of those proposals when asked about them by reporters.
"RSC budgets have always been a joke. Period. And you can quote me on that," Thompson said.
"They've never been implemented. And we've actually had some members of the committee that have voted for those RSC budgets knowing that there would never be a reality."
Johnson's election came as a welcome relief to Republicans after they wasted much of the month trying to pick a speaker. Johnson was the fourth nominee after Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La.; Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio; and Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., were unable to unite the conference.
Story updated with Thompson comments on Johnson and farm bill.
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