The House agreed 235-180 to a procedural rule allowing a...
The House agreed 235-180 to a procedural rule allowing a vote on the Agriculture appropriations bill (HR-2112) that would cut the broadband loans program at the Rural Utilities Service, among other reductions (CD June 2 p16). Only four Democrats voted…
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for the rule, and no Republicans opposed it. Rep. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., did not again offer an amendment she had at subcommittee markup that would preserve the broadband loans program. A spokeswoman said Lummis has no plans to do so before the final vote later this week. A telecom industry official said no similar amendments are expected from other members. Keeping the broadband program would have forced the GOP to cut funding from another Agriculture program, possibly at the cost of losing votes on the final bill, the official said. The Senate Appropriations Committee is more supportive of the loans program, and the matter could be worked out in conference between the House and Senate, the official said.