House Republican leadership worked out a deal to bring up two different immigration bills for votes next week.
One of the bills is the conservative measure authored by Representative Bob Goodlatte that the Freedom Caucus wanted to be brought up for a vote before they would commit votes to the farm bill. Because that vote was in place, Freedom Caucus Chair Mark Meadows told reporters that he was ready to vote in favor of House Ag Chair Michael Conaway’s farm bill.
Politico says Meadows support could potentially be huge. It signals that other conservatives are likely to fall in line and give Conaway the votes he needs to get the bill (HR 2) passed through the House.
Meadows, a North Carolina Republican, says he’s not happy with everything currently in the House Farm Bill. He plans to continue to push for subsidy limits on payments made to farmers. Meadows had tried to get an amendment to the floor in the House but was stymied by the Rules Committee. “Am I happy with everything in the Farm Bill? No,” Meadows says. “Am I working with my colleagues to get a better farm bill? The answer is yes.”
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting News Service.