Appropriators spar over agriculture cuts, delay final vote
House appropriators debated an annual spending bill til the wee hours Thursday that would slash climate-related funding at the Department of Agriculture for the coming fiscal year.
But Appropriations Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) delayed a final vote, citing various scheduling issues — including taking a break to attend the Congressional Baseball Game — and a desire to begin consideration of a spending bill for the Defense Department. It was unclear when the committee would once again take up the Agriculture spending measure.
During the markup, Democrats objected to cuts in climate-related funding and grants to rural areas, but Republicans handily defeated amendments to reverse those moves.
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The proposal would cut discretionary spending by slightly more than 4 percent, but the appropriations ax hits some areas much harder while sparing certain research and food safety programs.
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