Senator Mitch McConnell did not attend the Agriculture Committee's markup of the farm bill on Thursday but participated by casting tie-breaking votes on partisan issues. His absence contributed to the bill's failure to advance to the Senate floor. McConnell has been on medical leave for nearly two months and voted 'by proxy' on amendments presented during the meeting, a practice allowed under committee rules. Committee Chair John Boozman (R-Arkansas) stated that he spoke with McConnell the night before and received approval to use proxy votes.
During the meeting, Democrats proposed several amendments, all but one of which failed with a 12-11 vote in favor of Republicans. One significant amendment sought to delay for two years the requirement for some states to start sharing costs under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a key issue for Democrats regarding their support for the farm bill.
Senate rules stipulate that proxy votes cannot influence the advancement of a bill to the Senate floor, which was a factor in the bill's failure to progress. Both McConnell and Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) voted by proxy in the final vote, resulting in the bill not being advanced. The committee is currently in recess and may reconvene later. Boozman indicated that he expects Democrats to engage with their constituents about the importance of passing the farm bill before another attempt in September.