McConnell absence foils GOP plans to advance farm bill before August recess

The Senate Agriculture Committee failed to advance the farm bill on Thursday due to unified Democratic opposition and Republican absences. The vote ended 10-11 along party lines, as proxy votes from GOP Senators Tommy Tuberville and Mitch McConnell were not counted. Committee chairman John Boozman had intended to move the legislation, which covers agriculture and food assistance programs, to the Senate floor before the August recess, but the SNAP standoff and McConnell's absence foiled these plans.