House Agriculture Committee Democrats condemned Republicans’ proposed farm bill as lawmakers resumed their markup Wednesday, arguing that the long-standing bipartisan coalition of anti-hunger advocates and farming interests that has historically advanced the legislation may be gone forever.
“We could be driving the last nail in the coffin of this coalition today,” said Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota, the committee’s top Democrat. “For some of us, this is your first farm bill markup. For all of us, it could likely be our last, because by decimating the nutrition title in the farm bill, by splitting the food and farm programs apart as Republicans have done in this process, you have destroyed the farm bill coalition.”
Craig’s comments came during debate over an amendment from Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.) that would reverse Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program spending cuts included in Republicans’ domestic tax and spending package last year. The collapse of the farm bill coalition could make it much harder for Republicans to secure farm safety-net programs and other priorities if Democrats take back the majorities in the November midterms.
“The historic cuts to SNAP jeopardize the path forward for this bill and future farm bills,” said Rep. Sharice Davids (D-Kan.).
