Senate Republicans’ farm bill proposal rejects Democrats’ demands to delay a planned shift of some food aid costs to states, according to three people familiar with the plans, jeopardizing hopes of winning bipartisan support for the package.
Democrats say they will oppose a farm bill that doesn’t push back a requirement that will soon force some states to pay for some Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, a provision in last year’s Republican domestic policy megalaw.
Senate Agriculture Chair John Boozman (R-Ark.) gave Senate staff and industry stakeholders a private preview of his farm bill text Monday afternoon ahead of a planned public release of the discussion draft at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, according to the people familiar, who were all granted anonymity to discuss the not-yet-public plans.
Boozman will need some Democratic support to clear the Senate’s 60-vote threshold.
