Agri-Pulse reports:
Republicans pushed their $1.5 trillion farm bill through the House Agriculture Committee early Friday with the help of four critical Democratic votes, giving the massive legislation some momentum as it heads to an uncertain future in the full House.
The four Democrats who supported the bill were Don Davis of North Carolina, Yadira Caraveo of Colorado, Eric Sorensen of Illinois and Sanford Bishop of Georgia.
The committee approved the bill, 33-21, after a rancorous debate that started at 11 a.m. Thursday and didnโt end until after midnight Friday.
House Ag Chairman Glenn โGTโ Thompson, R-Pa., told Agri-Pulse after the final vote that he didnโt know whether he would have any Democratic support until the final tally, given the rhetoric during the debate. โIโm still shocked by it,โ he said of the outcome.
He said the bill wouldnโt get floor time before September at the earliest, but that it could at least help some lawmakers in their re-election races.
โIf youโre running for re election, a robust, highly effective and somewhat transformative farm bill is not a bad thing to campaign on,โ he said.
Critics have said the bill has little chance of passing the House, given the narrow GOP majority, and the bill would be dead on arrival in the Democratic-controlled Senate.
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