Farm Bill Fails in the House
Last Friday, the 2018 Farm Bill was unexpectedly defeated on the House floor 198-213. The bill failed because some members of the Republican House Freedom Caucus voted against the bill to force leadership to allow a vote on a pending immigration bill. Conservative Republicans were joined by Democrats, who opposed the bill over new work requirements for recipients of benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. The defeat of the Farm Bill is a blow to Republican leadership. The House is scheduled to vote again on the legislation on June 22, after a resolution on the immigration bill has been reached.
In the Senate, a more bipartisan bill is being drafted and we should expect to see that bill released by the Committee in the coming weeks. Based on the advocacy of CDA members during Day on the Hill, we do not believe we will see any restrictions on the type of food sold through SNAP, nor the type of retailer that can accept SNAP.