Overview
- On Aug. 6, 2026 the Agriculture Committee voted on the farm bill but could not send it to the full Senate because proxy votes from absent senators did not count for the final ordering vote.
- Sen. Mitch McConnell stayed on medical leave and authorized Chair John Boozman to cast his proxy votes during the markup, but those proxy votes could not be decisive under Senate procedure.
- The central policy fight remains changes to SNAP written into a 2025 reconciliation law, with Republicans offering a one-year delay and Democrats demanding a two-year pause before states begin sharing program costs.
- Republicans released additional amendments the same day, including a provision to allow year-round sale of 15% ethanol, and recessed the committee with plans to try again when the Senate returns.
- The outcome highlights how a technical committee rule and McConnell’s absence are blocking a normally bipartisan bill, a delay that could affect farmers, SNAP recipients, and other GOP priorities such as high-profile confirmations.