House GOP leaders are struggling to nail down the votes they need for their budget blueprint. A key message for more moderate members is that the final spending cuts won’t be as great as the budget resolution now calls for. 

House Ag Committee Republicans met Monday evening to discuss plans for the resolution as well as the farm bill. Chairman Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., told reporters he urged members to vote for the resolution. He said he expects the actual number the committee must find in spending cuts to be somewhere between the $230 billion laid out in the House resolution and the $1 billion required by the Senate budget plan. 

Thompson declined to offer specifics about possible pay-fors but insisted they would focus on SNAP program integrity. “It would be hard, but no scenario though involves cutting benefits to SNAP,” Thompson said.

GOP leaders have been shooting for a vote on the resolution as soon as today.

Trump: Mexico and Canada tariffs ‘will go forward’

President Trump says he still intends to impose tariffs on Mexico and Canada next week. The tariffs were slated to go into effect Feb. 4, but Canadian and Mexican leaders secured a temporary reprieve just hours before the tariffs were to come into effect. The 25% duties, reduced to 10% on Canadian energy exports, are now scheduled to begin March 4.

“We’re on time with the tariffs, Trump told reporters Monday. “It’ll be very good for our country.”

Of note: Trump met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Washington on Monday. At the same press conference, Macron reiterated that France is committed to “fair competition” and “smooth trade.”

Trump has directed administration officials to study the use of tariffs to retaliate against European tech policies that the president says are targeting U.S. firms.

Special counsel: Probationary firings likely violated law

The head of a U.S. watchdog agency says that firing thousands of probationary federal employees without an individualized cause is likely illegal. Hampton Dellinger, who is contesting his own termination by Trump as special counsel, said Monday that the firings seem to violate “provisions establishing rules for reductions in force.”

Dellinger’s statement came after he submitted a request Friday to the Merit Systems Protection Board to stay the firings of six individual probationary employees.

A statement issued by the Office of Special Counsel says Dellinger “believes other probationary employees are similarly situated to the six workers for whom he currently is seeking relief. Dellinger is considering ways to seek relief for a broader group without the need for individual filings with OSC.”

Take note: Termination notices included a provision alleging the firing was based on performance.

Workers can ignore homework: The Office of Personnel Management said federal employees can safely ignore the agency’s email that asked them to list their accomplishments from the last week.

The Washington Post reported that OPM officials told human resources officers on a call Monday that employees did not have to answer the email. Elon Musk, head of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, had threatened on X that a nonresponse would result in termination.

Related Articles

FAS: Chinese poultry imports to fall on higher domestic production

The Foreign Agricultural Service expects Chinese imports of chicken meat will fall further in 2025 amid increased domestic production, import restrictions and flat consumption.

In a report published Monday, FAS China said imports could fall to 380,000 metric tons this market year, roughly half what they were in 2023.

Beijing continues to limit U.S. poultry exports over avian flu concerns and has not complied with previously agreed protocols for lifting the restrictions. With prices for U.S. poultry also rising, FAS China says U.S. exports to the country are set to decline.

USDA sued over climate webpage removals

Environmental groups have sued USDA for removing webpages related to climate change, including those on climate-smart agriculture and conservation.

Earthjustice, the Environmental Working Group, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York filed a lawsuit Monday seeking a court order pushing the agency to restore access to key sites and preventing further removals.

USDA employees were ordered to remove webpages related to climate change in January. The lawsuit alleges that the website purge violates three federal laws, including the Freedom of Information Act, Paperwork Reduction Act and the Administrative Procedure Act.

“USDA’s irrational climate change purge doesn’t just hurt farmers, researchers, and advocates. It also violates federal law several times over,” said Jeffrey Stein, Earthjustice associate attorney in a statement. “USDA should be working to protect our food system from droughts, wildfires, and extreme weather, not denying the public access to critical resources.”

FDA names acting head of human foods efforts

The Food and Drug Administration has named a new acting deputy commissioner for human foods following Jim Jones’ resignation last week. 

Kyle Diamantas will oversee the agency’s nutrition and food safety effort and serve as a “critical liaison” between the FDA and the Department of Health and Human Services, according to his new bio. Diamantas is a registered attorney in Florida. He most recently worked with food and beverage industry clients for global corporate law firm Jones Day, as first reported by Bloomberg. 

Jones, who was the first deputy commissioner for human foods, resigned last week. He cited layoffs in the program as the main reason for his departure. 

Final word

“I don't think anybody wants to be in front of this train. I think they want to be on it.” – House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., expressing confidence that he could win GOP approval of the FY25 budget resolution.