The Senate looks to finally name its team of farm bill negotiators this week while also finishing work on a $154 billion spending bill for a bevy of departments and agencies important to agriculture, including USDA and FDA. 

 

In addition, Acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler will testify on Capitol Hill for the first time since taking over the agency’s top post in the wake of Scott Pruitt’s resignation. He is certain to be grilled about his progress on a number of issues, including a pending vapor pressure waiver that would allow year-around sales of E15. 

 

The House is not in action until September, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., canceled his chamber’s recess, and leaders of the Senate and House Agriculture committees say that work on a compromise farm bill will continue through August. 

 

The Senate still needs to formally vote to go to conference with the House on the farm bill and to release the names of its conferees. 

 

The vote was delayed last week when Senate leaders failed to reach agreement on handling Nebraska GOP Sen. Debbie Fischer’s push for a vote on legislation that would ease hours-of-service requirements for agricultural truckers, a Senate source said. South Dakota Republican John Thune, who is cosponsoring Fischer’s proposal, has said it faces stiff opposition from Democratic leaders. 

 

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