By a razor-thin 213-211 vote, the House of Representatives passed the farm bill June 21.
The Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (H.R. 2) had no Democratic support in the vote. Democrats had universally opposed provisions changing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program work requirements. The House bill would require several million ‘work capable’ adults ages 18-59 to work at least 20 hours a week to get food stamps or spend equal time in job training.
“I’m proud of what this body has accomplished, and now look forward to working with the Senate and the president to deliver a farm bill on time to the American people,” House Agriculture Committee Chairman Michael Conaway, R-Texas, said after the vote.
The Senate version of the farm bill has passed out of the Senate Agriculture Committee June 13 and may be taken up by the full Senate before the July Fourth recess.
“We’re very happy to see the bill pass the House and look forward to the Senate taking up its version in the near future,” said Mike Stuart, president of the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association and co-chair of the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance.
House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin Peterson, D-Minn., said in a statement that the farm bill doesn’t do enough for farmers and worsens hunger.
“The only upside to its passage is that we’re one step closer to conference, where it’s my hope that cooler heads can and will prevail,” he said. “The Senate’s version isn’t perfect, but it avoids the hardline partisan approach that House Republicans have taken here today, and if it passes, I look forward to working with conferees to produce a conference report both parties can support, which is the only way to get a farm bill enacted into law.”
