Monday: Getting closer on the farm bill

The Senate meets at 2 p.m., and at 5:30 p.m., it will hold an important procedural vote on the farm bill.

Members will vote to end debate on the conference report on the $956 billion farm bill, H.R. 2642. Sixty votes are needed, and if the votes are there, it would set up a final passage vote on the farm bill Tuesday afternoon.

{mosads}The House approved this mammoth bill Wednesday, in a 251-166 vote that split both parties. Most Republicans supported it, while most Democrats opposed it due to their opposition to the $8 billion in cuts to the federal food stamp program.

The House will be in at noon for speeches and will consider two suspension bills in the afternoon:

— H.R. 1791, the Medical Preparedness Allowable Use Act. This bill authorizes the use of homeland security funding for medical preparedness efforts, including creating a stockpiles of pharmaceuticals and medical kits.

— H.R. 357, the GI Bill Tuition Fairness Act, requiring colleges to give veterans in-state tuition rates.