The House will be in session today, where members are expected to vote on a Senate-passed spending bill to end the government shutdown.
The Senate on Monday voted 60-40 to restore federal funding through Jan. 30 after eight Democrats struck a deal with Republicans to end a standoff over healthcare insurance subsidies. In addition to the temporary funding, the bill includes full fiscal year funding for USDA and FDA, and a one-year extension for farm bill programs.
As part of that deal, Senate Republican leadership promised to hold a vote in December on expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies. But House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has not guaranteed he would hold a similar vote on those subsidies.
Take note: House Democratic leadership says Republicans shouldn’t expect their votes to help carry the bill.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said on CNN Tuesday that his colleagues “will strongly oppose any legislation that does not decisively address the Republican healthcare crisis.” Even the more moderate Democrats in the New Democrat Coalition are opposing the measure.
Without Democrats, Johnson can only afford to lose two votes on the bill.
However, outgoing Maine Democrat Rep. Jared Golden previously backed a Republican spending bill in September that did not include ACA subsidies – the lone Democrat to do so. Ag Committee member Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., also signaled her support for that bill but missed the vote.
USTR asks lamb industry for trade injury data
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative wants data from the U.S. sheep industry on the harm caused by lamb imports. The request comes as the industry is pushing USTR to get the International Trade Commission, or ITC, to probe whether trade measures are needed to protect domestic sheep producers.
Assistant USTR for Agricultural Affairs and Commodity Policy Julie Callahan made the request during an August meeting with outgoing American Sheep Industry Association Executive Director Peter Orwick, according to the group.
At the end of October, the group submitted public and confidential reports to USTR saying that imported lamb, mostly from Australia and New Zealand, has contributed to sliding market shares for domestic producers.
USTR did not respond to Agri-Pulse’s request for comment.
Take note: Industry can also petition ITC for a safeguarding investigation– known as a Section 201 probe – but Orwick tells Agri-Pulse that a request from USTR would carry more weight.
A similar effort to get USTR to initiate a lamb import probe led by R-CALF USA under President Joe Biden failed, with CEO Bill Bullard complaining the industry had been “ignored.”
But, but, but: If USTR doesn’t act on ASI’s request this time, Orwick says the next step would involve ASI petitioning ITC directly.
SNAP recipients remain in limbo following Supreme Court order
The Supreme Court blocked a lower court order requiring full payment of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits Monday night. In an unsigned order, the court continued a stay originally granted by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who objected to the full court’s order.
The brief order posted Monday said Jackson “would deny the request for extension of the administrative stay and would deny the application.”
The shutdown has led to a 12-day stretch as of today during which most recipients have not gotten their full benefits. Responding to a court order, the Agriculture Department said it would provide partial benefits for November using a SNAP contingency fund but has declined to use Section 32 nutrition funding to make up the difference.
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Litigation has moved swiftly in courts in Rhode Island and Massachusetts and district judges have shown increasing frustration with the government’s stance. Meanwhile, USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service has told states that responded to a court order and provided full benefits to undo the “unauthorized” transfers.
EU countries seek longer deforestation rule delay, reports say
European Union member states are reportedly pushing for a longer delay to the bloc’s incoming deforestation regulations.
Reuters reported on Tuesday that countries had prepared a negotiating draft to amend a recent European Commission proposal. The Commission last month proposed delaying the rule for small businesses until December 2026 but to give larger firms a shorter grace period.
Countries are proposing deferring the rule until December 2026 but giving smaller businesses until June 2027 to comply, according to a draft negotiating document seen by Reuters.
Why it matters: The rule has worried U.S. timber producers as large U.S. exporters are already working to protect their supply chains from the incoming rules. Last week, a group of lawmakers from Arkansas urged the administration to postpone implementing an EU-U.S. trade pact until Europe addresses U.S. concerns with the rule.
Take note: The European Commission, European Council and European Parliament all need to approve a delay to the rule.
Rep. Jodey Arrington (Agri-Pulse file photo)Arrington retiring from Congress
House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, who represents the nation’s biggest cotton-producing region in west Texas, won’t seek re-election next year.
“I have always had a firm conviction, much like our founders did, that public service is a lifetime commitment, but public office is and should be a temporary stint in stewardship, not a career,” Arrington said in a post on X.
Arrington is also a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which handles tax and trade policy.
Final Word:
“It is something he is going to push hard as part of his economic plan… it’s all part of the ‘America First’ economic plan.” – White House Adviser Stephen Miller told Fox Business Tuesday in response to a question on whether Trump’s suggestion that Americans could receive a $2,000 tariff “dividend” was an “off the cuff” comment or a serious proposal.
Philip Brasher, Kim Chipman and Oliver Ward contributed to today’s Daybreak.
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