Without even a committee markup, the House farm bill has caused
intraparty tensions to flare up among both Democrats and Republicans,
who are primarily squabbling over how much money should be allotted for
food stamps.
So it is no small wonder that House leaders have been reticent to bring the bill to the floor. Nonetheless, all eyes are on what could be a marathon Agriculture Committee markup today to determine the way forward.
Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) and the panel’s ranking member, Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) — the two Members who negotiated the bill — expressed optimism that the legislation would easily pass the committee.
“I think we’re fine. I think we’ve got plenty of votes in the committee,” Peterson said. “The bigger problem is going to be, first of all, getting it onto the floor, getting leadership to give us time. And even then it’s going to be tough. The left won’t be satisfied, the right won’t be satisfied and there aren’t that many people in the middle anymore.”
Indeed, a House GOP leadership aide said that even a drama-free markup would not guarantee floor consideration. And this one promises to be anything but drama-free.
Committee members on both sides of the aisle said they plan to offer amendments in committee, many dealing with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the formal name for food stamps.
Lucas said his pitch to GOP Members is to save these kinds of amendments for the House floor.
Read more: http://www.rollcall.com/issues/58_3/Farm-Bill-Sparks-Infighting-In-Parties-216025-1.html?pos=htmbtxt
So it is no small wonder that House leaders have been reticent to bring the bill to the floor. Nonetheless, all eyes are on what could be a marathon Agriculture Committee markup today to determine the way forward.
Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) and the panel’s ranking member, Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) — the two Members who negotiated the bill — expressed optimism that the legislation would easily pass the committee.
“I think we’re fine. I think we’ve got plenty of votes in the committee,” Peterson said. “The bigger problem is going to be, first of all, getting it onto the floor, getting leadership to give us time. And even then it’s going to be tough. The left won’t be satisfied, the right won’t be satisfied and there aren’t that many people in the middle anymore.”
Indeed, a House GOP leadership aide said that even a drama-free markup would not guarantee floor consideration. And this one promises to be anything but drama-free.
Committee members on both sides of the aisle said they plan to offer amendments in committee, many dealing with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the formal name for food stamps.
Lucas said his pitch to GOP Members is to save these kinds of amendments for the House floor.
Read more: http://www.rollcall.com/issues/58_3/Farm-Bill-Sparks-Infighting-In-Parties-216025-1.html?pos=htmbtxt
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