The House Agriculture Committee gathered to review the Environmental Protection Agency’s regulatory impact on American agriculture, but the hearing began with criticism from Ranking Member David Scott. Scott accused Chairman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson and the Republican leadership of playing politics with the farm bill. “Speaker (Mike) Johnson will not bring the bill to the Floor for a vote because it was not written as a serious bill. It was written to be used as a campaign slogan, nothing more.” The farm bill passed out of the committee at the end of May. Scott said the clock is running out on this farm bill. “The August recess is right around the corner, we come back here in September and a week is gone there and then the new appropriations year starts three weeks later on October 1.” The chairman and ranking member were sitting side-by-side during Scott’s opening comments. Thompson did not respond to his colleague’s criticism. “There’s a lot I could say, but I’m not going to say anything,” said Thompson. “We’re going to move ahead with this hearing and stay grounded in reality.”
