House passes 2018 farm bill on second try

The House on Thursday passed Republicans’ $868 billion farm bill, taking a second stab at the legislation a month after a dispute over immigration had helped sink it — at least temporarily.

The bill passed on a 213-211 vote, with relieved Republicans letting out some cheers on the House floor after the final tally was announced.

The legislation reauthorizes federal crop subsidies, agricultural supports and government food programs through 2023. The current bill is due to expire at the end of September, giving lawmakers more time to hammer out differences with a Senate version.

The House version also includes new work requirements for food stamp recipients, which Republicans have touted as a way to lift people up out of poverty.

“This is good for America’s workers, and it’s going to help more families take part in this economic resurgence,” said House Speaker Paul D. Ryan.

Last month, House conservatives had said they wanted a vote on Rep. Robert Goodlatte’s enforcement-heavy immigration bill — which failed Thursday — before committing to vote for the farm bill.

After the bill previously failed on a 213-198 vote, the House passed a resolution giving lawmakers until Friday, June 22 to reconsider it.

The farm bill typically unites a broad swath of members, but Republicans ended up having to negotiate among their own members after Democrats protested the new work requirements for food stamp recipients.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s office circulated an AARP letter on Thursday that warned about the potentially negative effects the new requirements would have on older Americans.

No Democrats supported the legislation last month, and 30 Republicans voted no.

The Senate Agriculture Committee passed its own farm bill out of committee last week on a 20-1 vote.

But that version doesn’t include the new work requirements, and so those differences would have to be worked out when negotiators try to hammer out a compromise bill that can pass both chambers before October.