The Food Was Terrible and Such Small Portions
by Amy West, GovTrack.us, May 1, 2026
You may recognize the title of this post as the punchline to a joke that originated in the 1920s. It’s an apt description of how the House Republicans are currently operating. They complain loudly and publicly about bills and … then they vote for them anyway.
But a few bills came to the floor and passed with little controversy, including one which will become law:
H.R. 227: Clergy Act, which allows clergy an opportunity to change their minds about contributing to and receiving Social Security benefits, passed 350-5.
H.R. 7959: IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act, which would, among other things, allow whistleblowers to be anonymous and to get interest on potential payments, passed 346-10.
S. 1318: Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Act, which would direct the American Battle Monuments Commission to establish a program to identify American-Jewish servicemembers buried in United States military cemeteries overseas under markers that incorrectly represent their religion and heritage, passed 235-191. This bill now goes to the President for signing into law.
Now back to the House Republicans’ entirely self-created problems:
This week’s poorly received (yet passed!) bills were about another temporary extension of FISA Section 102, finally funding all of the Department of Homeland Security except for ICE/CBP and the long delayed update of the Farm Bill.
The root of the House GOP’s angst are
- a very small majority
- several factions with irreconcilable demands
- a refusal to accept Democratic votes to get bills passed (sometimes Democrats do vote with Republicans, but not as a necessary condition of passage)
The result though is consistent: for all the complaints, the bills end up getting passed in the House.
Outcome
FISA Section 702 Temporary extension passed 261-111
DHS funding for everything except ICE/CBP through the end of the fiscal year (September 30) passed by voice vote
Budget Resolution that starts reconciliation bill process passed 215-211. This reconciliation bill will provide still more funding for ICE and CBP even though last year’s reconciliation bill appropriated $140 billion dollars for those agencies through 2029.
H.R. 7567: Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 passed 224-200. There were several amendments to the bill which also passed (fairly unusual lately) and included changing SNAP rules to allow purchases of rotisserie chickens and removing proposed changes on pesticide labeling. Congress.gov has the full list of amendments, their subjects and whether they passed or failed. The bill goes to the Senate next.
Posting Schedule Note: Both chambers of Congress are now out until May 11, so the regular previews/recaps won’t appear, but you’ll hear from us on other issues!
Weekly Updates
April 27, 2026 — Introduced
H.R. 8531: Farmland for Farmers Act of 2026
Sponsor: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2]
This bill was referred to the House Committee on Agriculture which will consider it before sending it to the House floor for consideration.
Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2] is a member of the committee.
Trackers: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2].

April 27, 2026, 5:27 p.m. — Vote
Motion to Invoke Cloture: Robert Cekada to be Director, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives: Robert Cekada, of Florida, to be Director, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
Cloture Motion Agreed to 54/37
Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Nay
Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Nay
Trackers: Roll Call Votes.

April 27, 2026, 7 p.m. — Vote
H.R. 7959: IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act
Passed 346/10
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: Yea
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: Yea
Trackers: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2], Roll Call Votes.

April 27, 2026, 7:09 p.m. — Vote
H.R. 227: Clergy Act
Passed 350/5
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: Yea
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: Yea
Trackers: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2], Roll Call Votes.

April 28, 2026, 11:08 a.m. — Vote
Motion to Proceed on S.Res. 690: An executive resolution authorizing the en bloc consideration in Executive Session of certain nominations on the Executive Calendar.
Motion to Proceed Agreed to 52/47
Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Nay
Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Nay
Trackers: Roll Call Votes.

April 28, 2026, 5:09 p.m. — Vote
On the Point of Order S.J.Res. 124
Point of Order Well Taken 51/47
Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Nay
Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Nay
Trackers: Roll Call Votes.

April 29, 2026, 11:11 a.m. — Vote
On Ordering the Previous Question: H.Res. 1224: Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 7567) to provide for the reform …
Passed 215/210
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: Nay
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: Nay
Trackers: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2], Roll Call Votes.

April 29, 2026, 1:24 p.m. — Vote
H.Res. 1224: Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 7567) to provide for the reform and continuation of agricultural and other programs of the Department of Agriculture through fiscal year 2031, and for other purposes; providing for consideration
Passed 216/210
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: No
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: No
Trackers: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2], Roll Call Votes.

April 29, 2026, 2:24 p.m. — Vote
On the Nomination PN730-14: Robert Cekada, of Florida, to be Director, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
Nomination Confirmed 59/39
Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Nay
Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Nay
Trackers: Roll Call Votes.

April 29, 2026, 4:41 p.m. — Vote
Motion to Proceed on S.J.Res. 139: A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to “Air Plan Disapproval; Colorado; Regional Haze Plan for the
Motion to Proceed Rejected 46/52
Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Yea
Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Yea
Trackers: Roll Call Votes.

April 29, 2026, 5:25 p.m. — Vote
S. 1318: Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Act
Passed 235/191
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: Yea
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: Nay
Trackers: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2], Roll Call Votes.

April 29, 2026, 5:37 p.m. — Vote
Motion to Proceed on S.J.Res. 99: A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services relating to “Removal of the Automatic Extension of Employment Autho
Motion to Proceed Rejected 47/50
Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Yea
Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Yea
Trackers: Roll Call Votes.

April 29, 2026, 10:39 p.m. — Vote
S.Con.Res. 33: A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2026 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2027 through 2035.
Passed 215/211
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: Nay
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: Nay
Trackers: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2], Roll Call Votes.

April 30, 2026, 10:30 a.m. — Vote
H.Amdt. 181 (Bentz) to H.R. 7567: To broaden the Renewable Fuel Standard's definition of "renewable biomass".
Failed 210/216
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: No
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: No
Trackers: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2], Roll Call Votes.

April 30, 2026, 10:34 a.m. — Vote
H.Amdt. 186 (Crawford) to H.R. 7567: To add hot rotisserie chicken as an eligible item to be purchased by SNAP benefits.
Agreed to 384/35
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: Aye
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: Aye
Trackers: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2], Roll Call Votes.

April 30, 2026, 10:38 a.m. — Vote
H.Amdt. 191 (Grothman) to H.R. 7567: To mandate a USDA report to Congress (after the SNAP restrictions pilots are completed) on implementation of the restrictions, outcomes, recommendations to Congress.
Agreed to 416/8
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: Aye
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: Aye
Trackers: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2], Roll Call Votes.

April 30, 2026, 10:41 a.m. — Vote
H.Amdt. 193 (Grothman) to H.R. 7567: To repeal and prohibit future implementation of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) rule mandating electronic identification (EID) eartags for bison and cattle moving interstate.
Failed 69/355
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: No
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: No
Trackers: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2], Roll Call Votes.

April 30, 2026, 10:44 a.m. — Vote
H.Amdt. 196 (Luna) to H.R. 7567: To strike section 10205 (relating to uniformity of pesticide labeling), section 10206 (relating to authority of States), and section 10207 (relating to lawful use of authorized pesticides).
Agreed to 280/142
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: Aye
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: Aye
Trackers: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2], Roll Call Votes.

April 30, 2026, 10:48 a.m. — Vote
H.Amdt. 200 (Moore) to H.R. 7567: To preserve greyhound racing operations in West Virginia.
Failed 187/239
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: No
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: No
Trackers: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2], Roll Call Votes.

April 30, 2026, 10:52 a.m. — Vote
H.Amdt. 202 (Scholten) to H.R. 7567: To revise the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority program to provide federal support for sustainable agriculture and innovative sustainability solutions.
Agreed to 233/194
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: Aye
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: Aye
Trackers: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2], Roll Call Votes.

April 30, 2026, 10:55 a.m. — Vote
H.Amdt. 206 (Self) to H.R. 7567: To add "soda" to the definition of ineligible items and defines soda as a carbonated beverage containing more than 1 gram of added sugar, artificial sweetener, or flavoring per serving.
Failed 186/238
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: No
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: No
Trackers: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2], Roll Call Votes.

April 30, 2026, 10:59 a.m. — Vote
H.Amdt. 207 (Spartz) to H.R. 7567: To remove costly, overreaching emissions mandates on farm equipment that drives up expenses for farmers and consumers.
Agreed to 215/213
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: No
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: No
Trackers: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2], Roll Call Votes.

April 30, 2026, 11:07 a.m. — Vote
On Motion to Recommit: H.R. 7567: Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026
Failed 211/214
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: Yea
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: Yea
Trackers: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2], Roll Call Votes.

April 30, 2026, 11:14 a.m. — Vote
H.R. 7567: Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026
Passed 224/200
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: Nay
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: Nay
Trackers: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2], Roll Call Votes.

April 30, 2026, 11:36 a.m. — Vote
Motion to Invoke Cloture: S. Res. 690
Cloture Motion Agreed to 51/46
Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Nay
Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Nay
Trackers: Roll Call Votes.

April 30, 2026, 1:59 p.m. — Vote
On the Motion to Discharge S.J.Res. 184
Motion to Discharge Rejected 47/50
Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Yea
Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Yea
Trackers: Roll Call Votes.

April 30, 2026, 4:43 p.m. — Vote
S. 4465: A bill to amend the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 to extend the authorities of title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, and for other purposes.
Passed 261/111
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: Yea
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: Nay
Trackers: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2], Roll Call Votes.