House Fails To Pass Farm Bill

Not good news for GOP leadership

In a blow to House GOP leaders, the House on Thursday rejected a five-year farm bill that would have cut $20.5 billion from the federal food stamp program.

Members voted down the $940 billion bill in a 195-234 vote that only won 24 Democratic votes. Most Democrats stayed away from a bill that they say cuts the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) too deeply.

Many Republicans saw the bill in a different light, saying it was still too expensive at a time of a nearly $17 trillion deficit. In the final vote, 62 Republicans opposed the bill.

The final tally in the vote was delayed for several minutes as GOP leaders held the vote open, while Democrats called for the vote to close.