First House GOP spending bill clears key procedural hurdle

House Republicans on Wednesday narrowly averted having to scrap consideration of what’s typically the easiest spending bill to pass, adopting the rule for floor debate on appropriations for military housing and veterans benefits. Meanwhile, prospects for a second appropriations bill the leadership planned to move this week, for the Agriculture Department and Food and Drug Administration, were increasingly shaky as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle continued to express concerns on both funding levels and policy issues. Republicans face demands from ultra-conservatives to tilt the Agriculture bill further to the right at the same time some moderates facing tough races seek to move it more towards the center. And the GOP isn’t expecting any backing from Democrats. Read more