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Shining Light on Farm & Food Policy for 20 Years.
Thursday, January 02, 2025
A former agriculture secretary, House speaker and House Agriculture Committee chairman are all expressing optimism that Congress can pass a new farm bill this year despite the sharp political divide in Congress and fractured House GOP conference.
House Republicans revived their farm bill and its expanded work rules for food stamp recipients by narrowly passing the legislation with the help of conservatives who had used the measure as leverage to get the House to act on immigration policy.
House Republican leaders have bought some time to sort out the internal GOP feud over immigration policy before they try a second time to pass their farm bill.
For the second time in five years, House Republicans failed to pass a farm bill, this time because of conservative demands for action on immigration and fierce Democratic opposition to the legislation's food stamp reforms.
President Donald Trump told key lawmakers Thursday that the tighter work rules for food stamp recipients in the House GOP farm bill move "in the right direction," but he stopped short of threatening to veto legislation that doesn't include them.
The House Agriculture Committee’s proposed farm bill provides a mix of new restrictions and incentives in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that Republicans say would give beneficiaries’ new dignity by helping them find work or better-paying employment.
Lawmakers seeking to simultaneously boost energy production and reduce carbon emissions are urging House leaders to adopt a tax package providing incentives for the implementation of carbon sequestration.
Lawmakers face a Friday deadline to pass a new stopgap funding bill as they struggle to reach agreement on immigration and tax issues as well as a disaster bill that would include new assistance for farmers.
Congressional Republicans this week step up efforts to finalize a sweeping package of tax cuts, while the Senate Agriculture Committee’s GOP majority attempts to advance another of President Trump’s nominees for the Agriculture Department.
Republicans look to advance competing tax reform plans in the House and Senate this week, and farm groups look to build on their early success in shaping the legislation.
