AGRICULTURE/ENTITLEMENTS/GOP/SENATE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) said the Senate needs to pass a farm bill even if it doesn’t include the tighter work requirements around food stamps that have become a flashpoint in the House. While Mr. McConnell said he personally favored beefing up the work requirements for food-stamp recipients, he made clear he would be willing to pass the next five-year farm bill without them…Both House Speaker Paul Ryan (R., Wis.) and President Donald Trump have championed strengthening the work requirements for the food-stamp program, which makes up a large chunk of the farm bill. But its passage in the Senate will require Democratic support since it needs 60 votes to clear procedural hurdles and Republicans hold 51 of the chamber’s seats. White House legislative affairs chief Marc Short said Friday that he remained ‘optimistic that a farm bill will pass later this year,’ but acknowledged that the White House would likely need to play a role in helping the House and Senate iron out differences.”
-Kristina Peterson and Siobhan Hughes, “McConnell: Senate Farm Bill May Not Include Tighter Work Requirements,” The Wall Street Journal, May 25, 2018 3:15 pm