There was cheering on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives today when the Farm Bill went down in defeat.
House Speaker John Boehner signalled last week that he would vote for the Farm Bill — and leaders don’t normally allow votes on bills that will not pass. But 172 House Democrats who opposed cuts in food stamps joined with 62 conservative Republicans in the House who think the bill doesn’t cut deeply enough. The final vote was 195 in favor and 234 opposed to the bill.
All four Iowa congressmen voted for the Farm Bill. In a written statement, Congressman Bruce Braley said he was “angry and frustrated” so many House members failed to recognize the importance of the Farm Bill.