The $867 billion farm bill dubbed H.R. 2 that includes an amendment to ban cockfighting in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, sank 198-213 in Congres after failing to gather enough votes. The embarrassing lapse for the Republican leadership (all Democrats voted against the measure) came after members of the hard-line wing of the party, dubbed the House Freedom Caucus, revolted. The caucus rebelled after House Speaker Paul D. Ryan refused to schedule an immediate vote on a restrictive immigration bill sponsored by the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
The bill, which would have imposed strict new work requirements on food aid recipients while maintaining farm subsidies important to rural lawmakers, has an uncertain future. Republican leaders are already thinking of ways to bring it back up, but its survival could hinge on whether the House leadership clears the way for a vote on the controversial immigration measure.
If the farm bill does manage to come up again and passes, cockfighting in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and all other U.S. territories, will be banned — as is currently the case in all 50 states. Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett, in a release issued Friday, expressed frustration that the amendment to ban cockfighting that she came out swinging against was kept on the bill. continue reading
