Farm Bill to Get Lame Duck Push: What to Know in Washington

The long-stalled farm bill could find new legs in Congress’ post-election lame duck session, according to a top Democrat. But first, you should know:

• A nerdy South Dakota Republican is emerging as a quiet power behind Speaker Mike Johnson.
• Lawmakers are already jockeying for coveted spots on Congress’ tax writing committee.
• Republicans are split over how soon to replace Mitch McConnell at the top of the Senate GOP.

Leaders Push for Farm Bill in Lame Duck

House leaders are pressing for farm bill deal in the lame duck, the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee told members in a letter obtained by BGOV.

Agriculture Chair GT Thompson (R-Pa.) objected to Speaker Mike Johnson’s plan to tack a farm bill extension to a CR, top committee Democrat David Scott (Ga.) said in the letter. The chair isn’t interested and sees a path to a full bill this year, spokesperson Ben Goldey confirmed.

“We need pressure to come together” on the mammoth legislation, which spans five years, Scott said. By objecting to another one-year extension — the same tactic lawmakers took last year — agriculture leaders are projected confidence in a potential bipartisan agreement before the end of this Congress.

The bill could latch onto must-pass legislation like the National Defense Authorization Act or a year-end omnibus, Scott said. Any lame duck farm bill would need to be bipartisan to make it through the Democratic Senate and White House. Read More

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Dusty Johnson is Quiet Power Behind Speaker

Speaker Mike Johnson is the face of GOP leadership., but Rep. Dusty Johnson is quietly helping shape a legislative agenda to power Republicans through the election and beyond.

South Dakota’s sole House member, Johnson is a fixture in the speaker’s office from Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) tumultuous short tenure to Speaker Johnson’s (R-La.) rise.

Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) departs from a House Republican conference meeting March 20.

He’s consistently in the room for major GOP negotiations, and sticking around as fellow mainstream Republicans like Reps. Patrick McHenry (N.C.) and Garret Graves (La.) head for the exits. He’s positioning himself as an architect for the conservative legislative agenda.

“You don’t see him lobbing grenades at the other side, although he has a few times when things get rough and he wants to point out the failures of this administration,” said Rep. Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.), a close Johnson ally and his right-hand woman on the economy-focused Main Street Caucus. “But I think he’s incredibly effective.”

Johnson’s fundraising prowess and aversion to shutdowns put him in a position to help the party avoid political landmines right before November elections. Read More

Read BGOV’s Congress Tracker for the complete breakdown of lawmakers’ daily legislative agenda and the politics driving it.

Lawmakers Competing for Ways and Means Spots

Lawmakers are gunning for coveted spots on the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee next Congress — when a major partisan fight over tax policy kicks off.

Ways and Means will be pivotal in next year’s tax negotiations, when much of Donald Trump’s 2017 tax law expires and lawmakers will need to broker a deal. Ten lawmakers are working to secure a seat for the 119th Congress, including panel veterans Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) and Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-V.I.).

Democrats pursuing seats include Haley Stevens (Mich.), Andrea Salinas (Ore.), and Brendan Boyle (Pa.).

Republicans Rudy Yakym (Ind.), Max Miller (Ohio) Aaron Bean (Fla.), Nathaniel Moran (Texas) and Mike Collins (Ga.) are also considering bids.

Other potential contenders — Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-Wash.) and Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) among them — are keeping options open. Read More

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Upcoming Webinars: Elections Q&A, Tax 2025 Preview

Elections Q&A with Greg Giroux: Join us for a webinar with BGOV elections expert Greg Giroux at 11 a.m. on Sept. 25. The event will provide an in-depth analysis of how the presidential race is affecting congressional races, ballot measures, and other key aspects of the electoral landscape. Register Here

What to Watch as Tax Breaks Expire: Next year will be pivotal for tax policy. The next Congress and president will need to negotiate key provisions from the 2017 tax overhaul that expire at the end of 2025, and the presidential campaigns are pitching significant tax policy changes. Join our senior reporters and analysts at 11 a.m. on Sept. 18 for a detailed breakdown of how tax policy will likely shake out, including key players, major areas of dispute, and how the election could shape the outcome. Register Here

To contact the reporters on this story: Giuseppe Macri in Washington at gmacri@bgov.com; Jeannie Baumann in Washington at jbaumann@bloombergindustry.com

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Kayla Sharpe at ksharpe@bloombergindustry.com