House Appropriations Committee advances FY2026 agriculture appropriations after marathon markup; several policy amendments fail

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture resumed markup of the fiscal 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and related agencies appropriations bill and voted to report the bill to the full House after extensive debate and a long string of recorded and voice votes.

The markup featured sustained debate over a collection of policy riders and directed studies — spanning a proposed study of farmers' health-insurance coverage, pressure to remove language restricting acknowledgment of racism from grant-funded research, workplace protections for employees responding to highly pathogenic avian influenza, potential economic harms to independent grocers from proposed SNAP cuts, maternal-health provisions for a rural-hospital pilot and a required review of the infant-formula market under the WIC program. Several amendments were defeated on roll calls or voice votes; others were adopted.

Why it matters: the bill funds USDA program delivery, conservation technical assistance and food programs that together affect rural and urban food access, public-health surveillance for animal disease and nutrition programs serving infants and families. Changes to report language, directed studies, or program rules that accompany appropriations can shape agency priorities and enforcement without creating new statutes.

What members said - "This is just asking for a study, on farmers' health insurance coverage," the sponsor said when introducing his amendment, stressing that some farm sectors—"in particular dairy farmers"—showed high rates of nontraditional or no coverage in the material he presented. - Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman (identified in the transcript as the gentlelady who offered the amendment) argued her amendment "would strike language from this bill that is effectively a gag order on the mere acknowledgment that racism exists in American society," calling critical race theory a framework and warning the provision could bar basic social-science acknowledgement of racial impacts. - Representative Torres (identified in the transcript as the gentlelady from California) framed her amendment as protecting front-line personnel who respond to bird flu outbreaks, saying USDA had "accidentally fired civil servants working on the bird flu response" and that the agency subsequently scrambled to rehire or lost critical staff. - Chair Doctor Harris repeatedly opposed several amendments on grounds of scope or duplicative oversight, stating frequently, "I rise in opposition to the amendment," and urging the committee to avoid micromanaging agency personnel decisions or duplicative requirements.

Major outcomes (selected) - A request for a USDA study on farmers' health-insurance coverage failed on a recorded vote: ayes 25, noes 32. Sponsors argued the Economic Research Service last collected comparable data about 10 years ago and that coverage varied sharply by farm type (the sponsor cited a large spike among dairy households). Opponents said the report request was outside ERS' intended scope. - An amendment to remove report language the sponsor described as banning any project that "promotes or advances critical race theory or any concept associated with it" failed on a voice vote; the chair ruled "no's have it" and the amendment was not adopted. - An amendment to add worker protections for employees responding to the bird-flu outbreak was defeated on a recorded vote (ayes 26, noes 34). Supporters said recent firings and buyouts had reduced laboratory capacity; opponents said USDA had prioritized HPAI response and that the amendment would micromanage personnel decisions. - A request for a USDA report on the economic impact of proposed SNAP cuts on independent grocers was defeated on a recorded vote (ayes 28, noes 34). Proponents said some small grocers rely on SNAP for a majority of sales and face closures if benefits fall; opponents tied debate to broader reconciliation measures and deficit reduction. - A bipartisan amendment to ensure the committee's funded rural-hospital pilot explicitly includes maternal-health care was adopted by voice vote; the chair announced "the ayes have it." - An amendment that would have struck committee report language endorsing a review of mifepristone and prohibited FDA funds from being used to restrict access to the drug was defeated on a recorded vote (ayes 26, noes 35). Supporters characterized the amendment as protecting access; opponents said the FDA must retain post-marketing surveillance authority. - A provision directing USDA to report on consolidation in the infant-formula market and the effects of the WIC single-purchase contracting system was adopted; proponents cited the 2022 Abbott plant shutdown and resulting shortage as evidence of systemic vulnerability. - A larger Republican en bloc amendment package was adopted on a recorded vote (ayes 35, noes 27). - The subcommittee ultimately voted to favorably report the FY2026 agriculture appropriations bill to the full House; the clerk's tally recorded 35 ayes and 27 noes on the motion to report.

Discussion vs. action: committee members repeatedly separated discussion and oversight from binding policy changes. Multiple amendments were characterized by sponsors as requests for reports or studies (nonbinding direction), while opponents often objected to what they described as micromanagement of agency personnel decisions or duplication of existing statutory agency authorities.

What’s next: the bill, as reported by the subcommittee, proceeds to the full Appropriations Committee and then to the House. Adopted report language and directed studies will guide agency attention and oversight if enacted into final appropriations.

Votes at a glance (selected items) - Farmers' health-insurance study (mover: "Mister Bocan"): failed, ayes 25, noes 32. - CRT/report-language strike (mover: "Miss Watson Coleman"): failed (voice vote; chair's opinion: no's have it). - Bird-flu worker protection amendment (mover: "Miss Torres"): failed, ayes 26, noes 34. - SNAP impact on independent grocers report (mover: "Mister Espaillat"): failed, ayes 28, noes 34. - Nicotine-pouch/FDA action-plan amendment (mover: "Miss Underwood"): failed (chair ruled no's have it). - Maternal-health inclusion in rural-hospital pilot (mover: "Miss Underwood"): adopted (voice vote; chair: "the ayes have it"). - Mifepristone report-language strike (mover: "Miss Underwood"): failed, ayes 26, noes 35. - Protections against closure of USDA service centers (mover: "Mister Levin"): failed, ayes 26, noes 36. - WIC infant-formula market study/report (mover: identified in transcript as the gentlelady from Washington, recorded in the transcript as "Miss Press"): adopted. - Republican en bloc amendment (Harris et al.): adopted, ayes 35, noes 27. - Motion to favorably report the FY2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA and related agencies appropriations bill to the House (mover: "Mister Rogers"): agreed to, ayes 35, noes 27.

Ending: The subcommittee completed the markup after a lengthy session; adopted report language and directed studies in the bill will shape oversight and the administration's agenda for the programs funded by the appropriation if the measure is enacted.