Budgets for U.S. agricultural programs are once again fueling a partisan food fight as House Republicans go head-to-head with the Biden administration over spending.
Congressional Republicans are moving ahead with a proposal to fund the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration at levels around 9.5% below Biden administration requests. The GOP's proposed fiscal 2025 budget also represents a 1.35% cut from last year's enacted spending levels.
"On a national level, this legislation reins in wasteful Washington spending and targets funding towards core programs that help America’s farmers, ranchers, and rural communities," said Republican Rep. Andy Harris, chairman of the Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration subcommittee.
The proposal cleared the Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration Subcommittee on Tuesday night over the objection of Democrats, who say the bill would drastically cut funding for food assistance programs and projects to expand clean energy on farms. The House budget, for example, would strip 90% of funding from the popular Rural Energy for America Program, which helps agricultural producers buy energy efficient equipment.
"This bill represents the majority's misguided priorities," Rep. Rosa DeLauro, a Democrat and ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, said during the Tuesday markup hearing. "Shortchanging assistance for hungry women and children, raising costs for rural Americans and jeopardizing public health is not a responsible fiscal path."
Democrats also oppose a number of policy riders in the bill, including a ban on the USDA from moving forward with a series of competition rules meant to address consolidation in the meatpacking industry. Republicans omitted language in their proposal that limits access to the abortion pill mifepristone after the measure divided the chamber during last year's budget process.
The proposed cuts ultimately tee up another drawn out budgetary process that will likely not be resolved until after the November elections, requiring a congressional extension before current funding levels expire Sept. 30. President Joe Biden signed the current fiscal 2024 budget in March after partisan infighting led to five months of extensions and delays.
"The majority is dragging us down a path to chaos with bills that do not adhere to the law and cannot become law," DeLauro said, "leading us to squander another summer rather than completing our work and passing appropriations bills on time.”
