Ag Bill Set Aside in Senate and House

June 25, 2014 — 

The Agriculture appropriations bill for the 2015 fiscal year, beginning Oct. 1, is now bogged down in both the Senate and the House. [Source: Agweek, June 23, 2014]

The Senate approved a measure to proceed with the Agriculture bill but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., wanted a 60-vote threshold on amendments in order to limit the number that would pass and most likely to avoid potentially embarrassing votes for Democrats who are up for re-election. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., wanted to reduce the number of votes required for an amendment to be added to the bill, but Reid disagreed and on June 19 set the bill aside.

Meanwhile in the House, the election of a new majority leader, Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and a new majority whip, Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., has put the bill on hold indefinitely as the new leaders try to figure out how to handle the bill.