News

Actions

Farm bill fails in House of Representatives amid disagreement on immigration

Posted at 10:17 AM, May 18, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-18 12:17:30-04

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Latest on the House food and farm bill (all times local):
  
12:10 p.m.
  
Conservatives rebuffed on immigration have sunk a bill that combined stricter work and job training requirements for food stamp recipients with a renewal of farm subsidies popular in Republican-leaning farm country.
  
The 213-198 vote is an embarrassing blow to House GOP leaders, who had hoped to tout its new work requirements for recipients of food stamps. The work initiative polls well with voters, especially those in the GOP political base.
  
Key conservatives in the rebellious House Freedom Caucus opposed the measure, seeking leverage to obtain a vote on a hard-line immigration plan. Negotiations with GOP leaders Friday morning failed to bear fruit, however, and the measure was defeated.
  
House Speaker Paul Ryan took steps to call for a revote in the future but it’s not clear when the measure might be revived.
  
__
  
10:14 a.m.
  
The House is pressing toward a showdown vote on a bill that combines stricter work and job training requirements for food stamp recipients with a renewal of farm subsidies popular in Republican-leaning farm country, but the measure’s chances are iffy because of an unrelated scrap over immigration.
  
The food and farm measure promises greater job training opportunities for recipients of food stamps, a top priority for House leaders like Speaker Paul Ryan. Democrats are strongly opposed, saying the stricter work and job training rules are poorly designed and would drive 2 million people off of food stamps.
  
Passage is threatened by an unrelated revolt over immigration, with some conservatives threatening to withhold support for the food and farm bill unless they are promised a vote on a hardline immigration plan.

(Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)