USDA Funding Will Continue Into Early December

By a 370-48 vote this week, the House passed stopgap funding to keep the lights on at USDA and other federal departments until December 11th.  It now heads to President Trump for his signature.

The vote was bipartisan, unlike during two earlier record-long government shutdowns that hit farmers, rural hospitals, TSA agents, veterans, and troops.  And. according to Missouri Republican Mark Alford, the latest stopgap was good news for those who depend on USDA.

“It keeps SNAP and WIC operating for Missouri mothers and children," Alford said.  "It sustains USDA programs our farmers and ranchers depend on. It funds disaster relief and surface transportation.”

Preventing a shutdown avoids interruptions of farm loans, conservation payments, research, rural development, crop reports, and more.  Top Appropriations Democrat Rosa DeLauro called on her side to support the bill after the Senate bill removed provisions Democrats opposed.

“It freezes a White House budget policy that would take substantial power over federal funding away from the Congress and claim it for the president," she said.

Despite that, the White House backed the final bill to avert a shutdown neither party wanted right before the midterm elections.  But the true test of bipartisanship will come after the elections, when lawmakers either agree on full-year spending bills or again face the need for a stopgap to keep the lights on.

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