美国国家公共电台 NPR House Farm Bill Fails As Conservatives Revolt Over Immigration

ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:

House Republican leaders suffered an embarrassing loss today with the failure of the $867 billion farm bill. The policy behind the bill was widely supported by Republicans, and it had the backing of President Trump 1. But conservatives like Ohio Republican Jim Jordan voted against the bill. The no votes stemmed from a spat 2 with party leaders over promising 3 a vote on immigration. Here's Congressman 4 Jordan.

JIM JORDAN: Some members have concerns with the farm bill. But that wasn't my main focus. My main focus is making sure we do immigration policy right.

SHAPIRO: NPR congressional reporter Kelsey Snell is here to explain how the farm bill got tangled 5 up in this immigration fight. Hi, Kelsey.

KELSEY SNELL, BYLINE 6: Hi, Ari.

SHAPIRO: So we just heard Congressman Jordan say his vote did not have anything to do with the farm bill. Explain how an immigration fight caused the farm bill to fail?

SNELL: Honestly, this was kind of a terrible day for House Speaker Paul Ryan and his entire leadership team. This vote showed how weak their control is over members and of their own party. Jordan and the Freedom Caucus 7 have been asking for a vote on immigration for some time. They want this hardline bill that would crack down on illegal immigration and add limitations for legal immigration, too. Leaders say that bill does not have the votes to pass, but they still promised anyway that the Freedom Caucus could have that vote. But Freedom Caucus doesn't care - part 'cause they want to prove to leaders that the leaders are out of touch and that they, you know, are not following what they promised voters. So that's how we wound up here. (Laughter) We are in this situation where the Freedom Caucus thinks that they can prove to leadership that they are more in touch with the base than leaders are.

SHAPIRO: Explain how this group of 30 people could have this much sway in a House of Representatives that includes 435 members.

SNELL: Yeah, that all comes down to a different fight over food stamp provisions in the bill. So there is this part of the bill called the Supplemental Nutrition Program. It's commonly known as food stamps. And Democrats 9 didn't want to vote for the bill because Republicans were trying to put in these big, strict requirements for people who received the benefits. Now, Democrats not voting for the bill left it so that Republicans had a really narrow margin 10 for getting something passed. And this gives Democrats more leverage 11 down the line. And Collin Peterson, the top Democrat 8 on the Agriculture Committee, knows it.

COLLIN PETERSON: If they will listen to me, I can deliver a lot of Democrats for this bill - if they'll listen. And that's up to them. The ball is in their court.

SHAPIRO: So Kelsey, it sounds like the political dynamics 12 here are really changing...

SNELL: Yeah.

SHAPIRO: ...If the next version of the farm bill is going to have a lot of democratic input 13. What are the political repercussions 14 here?

SNELL: So leaders could have pulled this bill, but they didn't. And that's because they wanted to embarrass the people who voted against it, these Republicans who come from largely agricultural districts. And they want - leaders want them to have to go home and answer for their vote. And they were really frustrated 15. Leaders are just mad.

I caught up with Congressman Patrick McHenry after the vote. He's on the leadership team in charge of counting votes and getting people in line behind legislation. He was clearly frustrated because leaders had already promised the Freedom Caucus that vote, like I already said. Here's what he said.

PATRICK MCHENRY: We had enough members that were willing to vote yes on the farm bill, that had a commitment on when we'd vote on immigration but wanted to hijack 16 the process to get a immigration vote before they actually fulfilled their pledge that they made to their constituents 17 on the farm bill.

SNELL: And leaders just don't have a lot of influence over these guys. But rank-and-file Republicans might be mad, which further muddies an already tense leadership race where Freedom Caucus people would like to get one of their own into future leadership after House Speaker Ryan leaves.

SHAPIRO: Just briefly 18, Kelsey, you've reported on how much is at stake for farmers. The bill expires in September. What are the chances of a new one getting passed?

SNELL: Well, this shifts all of leverage over to the Senate, where they are working on their own bipartisan bill. And as we heard Collin Peterson say, he thinks he can deliver Democratic votes if they do something bipartisan.

SHAPIRO: NPR congressional reporter Kelsey Snell - thank you, Kelsey.

SNELL: Thank you.