House Republicans Tackle Next Battle: Wooing Their Own on Farm Bill

House Republicans return to Washington this week facing an intraparty fight over a sweeping agricultural and food-stamp bill, one of the last major policy battles before November’s midterm elections.

House GOP leaders will begin this week corralling support for the next five-year farm bill, a task complicated by opposition from conservative Republicans and Democrats. The proposed legislation, estimated to cost $867 billion over a decade, is a priority for many lawmakers in agricultural states. It couples federal support for farmers with food-stamp benefits for the poor, elderly and disabled.