Ag appropriations bill passed to try and end partial shutdown

Ten Republicans joined Democrats in the House of Representatives to pass a fiscal year 2019 agriculture appropriations bill. A DTN report says the bill is not supported by Senate and House Republican leadership, or by President Trump. It’s part of an effort by Democrats in the House to end the partial government shutdown. The vote was 243 to 183. The bill itself was the same appropriations bill that the Senate passed last year. As the House voting was in process, President Trump and certain cabinet members were making a trip to the U.S.-Mexico border to make his case for funding a border wall as well as other security measures. Debate over the ag appropriations bill lasted an hour. During the discussion, Georgia Representative Sanford Bishop led fellow Democrats in urging colleagues to pass the bill as part of an effort to get the shutdown ended and government reopened. House Democrats stressed during the debate that the government shutdown is putting stress on Americans, offering the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program as an example. They said while the Trump Administration has a plan to get SNAP benefits out in February, there’s no plan after that.