House, Senate Pass Short-Term Government Spending Package

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill passed a short-term continuing resolution to keep the government running until Dec. 20. The funding measure will delay decisions on fiscal year 2025 appropriations bills until well into the fiscal year that begins on Tuesday and prevents a government shutdown.

Farm state lawmakers asked Senate and House leaders to leave a farm bill extension out of the spending measure, in expectation that a lame duck congressional session in December will present a window of opportunity to finalize a new bill or pass another extension.

More on those efforts to pass a new farm bill. As key House and Senate Agriculture Committee staffers continue to meet to determine a path forward for action this year, lawmakers are growing more vocal on the need to approve a law this year.

On the Republican side, Representatives Mark Alford, R-MO, Ashley Hinson, R-IA, Mary Miller, R-IL, and Jen Kiggans, R-VA, spearheaded a letter to House Republican leaders urging that a farm bill with a robust producer safety net be completed this year. NMPF and other agricultural organizations worked with the letter’s lead offices to secure 140 co-signers, including a solid majority of House Republicans.

Meanwhile, the leaders of the New Democrat Coalition’s Farm Bill Task Force penned their own letter to House and Senate leaders and Ag Committee principals urging a farm bill this year. The letter was signed by Representatives Kim Schrier, D-WA, Don Davis, D-NC, and Jim Costa, D-CA, the Chair and Vice Chairs of the Task Force, respectively.