AGRICULTURE/GOP/HOUSE OF REPS/IMMIGRATION/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “The U.S. House of Representatives rejected a sweeping $867 billion farm bill on Friday [5-18-18] after Republican leaders failed to appease conservative lawmakers who had asked them not to hold the vote until they were given the chance to consider a bill to clamp down on immigration. The next steps are unclear for the farm bill, which failed in a 198-to-213 vote. The farm bill’s passage through the House has been entangled in the debate over immigration, as the conservative House Freedom Caucus sought to pre-empt a move by moderate Republicans and Democrats to use procedural tactics to force a wide-ranging immigration debate on the House floor. Freedom Caucus lawmakers warned Republican leaders on Thursday [5-17-18] that they should delay the farm bill vote until they were given the chance to debate and vote on a conservative immigration bill. The farm bill’s failure is an embarrassment for House Republican leaders. They are trying to stave off the broader immigration debate sought by moderates, which would include a vote on a bipartisan bill that falls well short of demands from conservative Republicans and President Donald Trump.”
-Amanda Becker and Susan Cornwell, “Farm bill fails in U.S. House as immigration spat roils Republican Party,” Reuters, May 18, 2018 9:22 am