The House and Senate are set to vote on notably different funding levels for the Agriculture Department and the Food and Drug Administration, setting up a political clash over food agency budgets for a second consecutive year.
While Senate appropriators on Thursday approved a $821 million increase for USDA and FDA budgets over fiscal year 2024, the House is pushing a $355 million cut. The two chambers will take action on the differing bills as soon as this month, with the House slated to consider its proposal the week of July 22.
Republicans aren't pressing for policy riders that last year divided lawmakers and ultimately stalled negotiations for close to six months. This year's House budget has no provisions to limit access to the abortion pill mifepristone, and a contentious proposal for a pilot program restricting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funds for "unhealthy foods" was dropped after vigorous lobbying from the grocery industry.
To realize spending cuts, the House largely looks to undercut the Biden administration's climate initiatives, rejecting the USDA's budget request for climate hubs and cutting funding for the Natural Resources Conservation Service by $11.9 million compared to last year's enacted levels. Republicans also proposed cuts to the National Institute of Food and Agriculture by reducing funding for "several low-priority research programs."
Meanwhile, the Senate bill looks to increase funding for conservation programs by $68 million over last year's enacted levels. The proposal also fully funds the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children after anti-hunger advocates said that House funding was insufficient to meet current case loads.
The Senate has yet to unveil full spending numbers for SNAP or child nutrition programs as of Friday morning. It has only released a summary saying the bill "fully funds" food assistance. The House will vote on a $777.6 million increase to SNAP due to inflation.
“The Senate Appropriations Committee is proving, yet again, that it is possible to find common ground across party lines on funding bills that put the interests of working families first,” Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), who leads the subcommittee overseeing the USDA, FDA and related agencies, said in a statement. “The investments we have included in this bipartisan bill will improve access to needed prescriptions, help American farmers produce healthy food, and grow economic opportunities in our rural communities.”
