US House 2018 Farm Bill Adopted Amendments

Govt News

The U.S. House failed to adopt H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, 198-213.

Speaker Ryan introduced a motion to reconsider the vote on H.R. 2.  This vote has been postponed and it is yet to be determined when it will occur.

Of the total 112 amendments submitted, 51 amendments were Made In Order.  Below is the list of amendments and their sponsors.

  • Jodey Arrington, (R-TX), Modifies the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Guarantee Loan Program and the Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program to permit rural hospitals to refinance existing debt. Agreed to by voice vote.
  • Banks, (R-IN), Repeals the final rule issued by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Secretary of the Army entitled ‘‘Clean Water Rule: Definition of ‘Waters of the United States’’’ (80 Fed. Reg. 37053 (June 29, 2015)). Recorded vote. Adopted 238-173.
  • Jack Bergman, (R-MI), Directs GAO to study the agricultural credit needs of farms, ranches, and related agricultural businesses that are owned or operated by Indian tribes on tribal lands or enrolled members of Indian tribes on Indian allotments. If needs are not being met, report shall include legislative and other recommendations that would result in a system under which the needs are met in an equitable and effective manner. Agreed to by voice vote.
  • Jaime Herrera Beutler, (R-WA), Directs the payment of a portion of stewardship project revenues to the county in which the stewardship project occurs. Agreed to by voice vote.
  • Biggs (R-AZ), Repeals the bioenergy subsidy programs established in title IX of the 2002 farm bill.  Recorded vote. Failed 75-340.
  • Bratt (R-VA), Establishes transparency and accountability requirements for checkoff programs. It requires that a checkoff board or its employees or agents acting in their official capacity may not engage in any act that may involve a conflict of interest, anti-competitive activity, unfair or deceptive act or practice, or act that may be disparaging to, or in any way negatively portray, another agricultural commodity or product.  Not offered.
  • Cheney (R-WY), Directs the USFS and DOI to make vacant allotments available to grazing permit or lease holders in the even of a natural disaster, conflict with wildlife, or court-issued injunction. To prevent a court injunction in the event that the federal agency is unable to make a vacant allotment available. Agreed to by voice vote.
  • Conaway (R-TX), MANAGER’S AMENDMENT. Makes technical and conforming changes, in addition to making amendments to titles IV, VI and XI of H.R. 2. These amendments consist of changes to nutrition programs, requiring consultation between USDA and NTIA on broadband loan and grant programs and establishing a food access liaison at USDA.  Agreed to by voice vote.
  • Costello (R-PA), Directs the Secretary to designate, among existing USDA staff, a Beginning Farmer and Rancher (BFR) Coordinator in each state, without associated cost. Agreed to by voice vote.
  • Davidson (R-OH), Instructs USDA to distribute employment and training funds based on actual usage of the program rather than eligibility. Any unused funds would be sent back to the treasury.  Not offered.
  • Foxx, (R-NC), Modernizes and reforms the sugar program by removing barriers to domestic production and implementing market reforms.  Recorded vote. Failed  137-278.
  • Faso (R-NY), #6 Expands USDA’s ability to assess natural resource concerns through enhanced measurement, evaluation, and reporting on conservation program outcomes. Agreed to by voice vote.
  • Faso (R-NY), Improves cooperation with the Forest Service to intercept tree and wood pests and would require a report on the interception of forest pests. Adopted by voice vote.
  • Faso (R-NY), #13 Provides states the flexibility to contract out administrative functions of SNAP. Recorded vote. Adopted 222-192.
  • Fortenberry (R-NE), Provides sequencing and prioritization for volunteer visits and improves communication and coordination between USDA, USAID and implementing partners. The amendment also establishes a geographically defined crop yield metrics system and an Internet-based resource for data and knowledge sharing among the participants, stakeholders and the public. Adopted by voice vote.
  • Greg Gianforte, (R-MT), Authorizes expedited salvage operations for areas burned by wildfire to salvage dead trees and reforest to prevent re-burn, provide for the utilization of burned trees, or to provide a funding source for reforestation. Requires a two month environmental assessment for reforestation activities and at least 75% of the burned area be reforested.  Adopted by voice vote.
  • Bob Gibbs, (R-OH), that would expresses a sense of Congress encouraging partnerships at the watershed level between non-point sources and regulated point sources to advance the goals of the Water Pollution Control Act. Agreed to by voice vote.
  • Gonzales-Colon, (Puerto Rico), Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to provide an extension of study on comparable access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance for Puerto Rico. Agreed to by voice vote.
  • Paul Gosar, (R-AZ), Authorizes counties to be included in Good Neighbor Authority cooperative agreements and contracts in order to improve forest health and bolster watershed restoration. Adopted by voice vote.
  • Holding (R-NC), Ends eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for convicted violent rapists, pedophiles and murderers after enactment into law.  Adopted by voice vote.
  • Hollingsworth (R-IN) Allows the Secretary of the Interior, in conjunction with the Director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, to issue depredation permits to livestock farmers authorizing the taking of black vultures otherwise prohibited by law to prevent damage to livestock during calving season. Agreed to by voice vote.
  • Johnson (R-LA), Requires the Secretary to consider the totality of conservation measures already in place, or proposed, to mitigate species or habitat loss when determining whether Federal action is likely to jeopardize either. Agreed to by voice vote.
  • Walter B. Jones, (R-NC), Removes the first 1,500 individuals residing on military bases from calculation into population thresholds set for ‘rural areas. Agreed to by voice vote.
  • Steve King, (R-IA), Allows Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to go into contracts with drainage districts to provide irrigation or water efficiency. Agreed to by voice vote.
  • LaHood (R-IL), Streamlines the sign up process for Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) by directing the Secretary of Agriculture to change the regulatory requirements from an annual sign up to a “one and done” process for ARC and PLC only.  Agreed to by voice vote.
  • Doug LaMalfa, (R-CA), Streamlines the Forest Service application process required to construct broadband infrastructure on federal land. Agreed to by voice vote.
  • Bob Latta, (R-OH), Requires the Federal Communications Commission, in consultation with the United States Department of Agriculture, to establish a task force for reviewing the connectivity and technology needs of precision agriculture in the United States. Agreed to by voice vote.
  • MacArthur (R-NJ), Ensures that if an individual becomes ineligible to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program as a household member due to failure to meet the requirements under subparagraph (B), the remaining household members (including children), shall not become ineligible to apply to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program due to such individual’s ineligibility. Adopted by voice vote.
  • Tom Marino, (R-PA), Requires the Government Accountability Office(GAO) to establish a pilot program in 9 states to determine whether specific items being purchased with supplemental nutrition assistance program(SNAP) benefits can be collected using existing reporting requirements and whether such reporting requirements can be improved. Not offered.
  • Massie (R-KY), Prohibits federal interference with the interstate traffic of unpasteurized milk and milk products between States that allow the distribution of unpasteurized milk or milk products for direct human consumption. Recorded vote. Failed 79-331.
  • McClintock (R-CA), Phases out agricultural subsidies. Recorded vote. Failed 34-380.
  • McClintock (R-CA), Amends SNAP work requirements to repeal geographic area waivers to allow states to exempt only 5% of SNAP recipients, set the same hour per week work requirement for married parents as for single parents, exempt parents of children under 3 instead of children under 6, require participants in training programs to go through E-Verify.  Recorded vote. Failed 83-330.
  • Noem (R-SD), Creates a new initiative to allow the United States Department of Agriculture to match funds invested in educational programs or services for Indians. Adopted by voice vote.
  • Mike D. Rogers, (R-AL), Amends the Nutrition title to allow SNAP users to purchase a multivitamin with their SNAP benefits. Adopted by voice vote.
  • Rogers (R-AL), Amends the Conservation Title to cap the number of CRP acres at 24 million a year. Withdrawn.
  • Roskam, (R-IL), Strengthens prohibitions against animal fighting by ensuring the law applies to all US territories. Recorded vote.  Adopted 359-51.
  • Russell (R-OK), Amends the Agricultural Risk Protection act of 2000 to prohibit the Department of Agriculture (USDA) from awarding value-added agricultural product market development grants to support the marketing of beer, wine, distilled spirits, hard cider, or other alcohol products. The amendment also rescinds $8 million of the unobligated funds that were previously provided to USDA for grants.  Recorded vote. Failed 54-356.
  • Steve Pearce, (R-NM) #15, Allows the Village of Santa Clara to purchase land from the United States Forest Service that was formerly part of Fort Bayard Military Reservation. Adopted by voice vote.
  • Steve Pearce, (R-NM) #18, Reauthorizes the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program for another 10 years.  Agreed to by voice vote.
  • Steve Pearce, (R-NM), Establishes a pilot program to demonstrate effective tools and techniques for safeguarding national forests and watersheds. Agreed to by voice vote.
  • Stefanik (R-NY), Adds invasive vegetation to Section 602 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act. Agreed to by voice vote.
  • Stefanik, (R-NY), Prioritizes grants for forest restoration under the Competitive Forestry, Natural Resources, and Environmental Grants Program. Agreed to by voice vote.
  • Glenn Thompson, (R-PA), Adds Chronic Wasting Disease to Sec.7208, High-Priority Research and Extension Initiatives. Agreed to by voice vote.
  • Mac Thornberry, (R-TX), Establishes Cattle and Carcass Grading Correlation and Training Centers to limit subjectivity and increase the accuracy of grading cattle across the country. Agreed to by voice vote.
  • Scott Tipton, (R-CO), Authorizes the U.S. Forest Service to convey 3.61 acres of Forest Service Land to Dolores County, Colorado for the strict purpose of building a fire station. Agreed to by voice vote.
  • Turner (R-OH), Ensures that newly designated 1890 Institution’s base funding is calculated by using the same formula as already established 1890 Institutions.  Agreed to by voice vote.
  • Bruce Westerman, (R-AR) #13, Requires the Forest Service to consider long-term health of our nation’s forests when developing collaborative management plans, and shields agency decision making from certain injunctions on sustainable forest management.  Recorded vote. Adopted 224-191.
  • Bruce Westerman, (R-AR) #17, Instructs the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Interior to provide Congress a yearly report tabulating the metrics surrounding wildfire prevention, including the number of acres treated and agency response time.  Agreed to by voice vote.
  • Don Young, (R-AK), Exempts all National Forests in Alaska from the U.S. Forest Service Roadless Rule.  Recorded vote. Adopted 208-207.
  • Don Young, (R-AK), Expands access to traditional foods for native populations first created in Sec. 4033 of PL 113-79. Agreed to by voice vote.

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