United Press International: House passes farm bill on strength of GOP vote

Over rancorous Democratic objections, the Republican-led U.S. House passed a farm bill Thursday that does not include reauthorization of the food stamp program.

The vote was 216-208. No Democrats voted for the bill.

During the nearly seven hours of debate on the legislation, Democrats repeatedly called their Republican counterparts heartless, callous and cruel for their efforts to pass a farm bill with nutrition programs stripped from it.

Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., was one of many Democrats who decried the "hijinks" by Republicans to bring the bill to the floor so quickly.

"There is a reasonable center here if we will stay here and work at it," Takano said. "What's the rush to get out of town?"

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