House Majority Leader Eric Cantor reportedly lit into Republican committee chairmen in a closed-door meeting Monday, berating them for voting against the $940 billion farm bill on June 20.
According to the National Review Online, several GOP sources said the Virginia Republican told the chairmen that it was "unacceptable" for them not to support the bill after the party leadership backed several of their amendments to it.
One amendment ended production limits on dairy producers that were a part of the underlying bill voted down by the House last month. A second allowed states to require food-stamp beneficiaries to either work or look for work.
Cantor reportedly told the chairmen that party leaders are more likely to bring the lawmakers’ own bills to the floor if they toe the line on supporting the leadership on key votes.
Of the 62 Republicans who voted with Democrats to defeat the bill, seven were chairmen, including Jeb Hensarling of Texas, who heads Financial Services; Jeff Miller of Florida, Veterans Affairs; and Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, Budget.
Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas of Oklahoma reportedly said in the meeting he hopes the House will reconsider to the farm bill this summer.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.