WASHINGTON, June 25, 2013 – The House Rules Committee is scheduled to meet tonight to consider a rule for the FY 2014 appropriations bill for the USDA, FDA, and related agencies (H.R. 2410).

The committee will consider an open rule, which would allow for several amendments.

Usually, when the committee sets a rule, a bill would move to the floor within a day or two. In this case, it is not clear when the bill will be taken up on the floor.

Congressional aides have been tight-lipped about when the bill may come to the floor. A House Rules Committee spokesperson told Agri-Pulse Monday that she had no information about the bill’s schedule.

Speculation is that lawmakers, including House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, may be waiting for the dust to clear from the fall-out of the failure of the farm bill. Further, the House schedule is tight this week and lawmakers will be eager to leave for the July 4 recess.

The legislation would provide $19.5 billion in discretionary funding, which is $1.3 billion below the FY 2013 enacted level and about equal to the current level. The funding would be $516 million below the president’s request.

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