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Farm Bill Fight Gets ‘Nasty.’ Luna ‘Accosted’ For Amendments, She Says
Representative Anna Paulina Luna, a Florida Republican, said Wednesday that she was "accosted" by two members of her party as the debate over amendments to the Farm Bill turned "nasty."
The Farm Bill, or the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, is a sweeping package aimed at supporting farmers, though a number of its measures, such as those regarding pesticides, have been divisive.
Luna said on X that both Republicans, whom she did not name, "claim to be 'God-fearing' Christians, but are shilling for cancer causing pesticide companies," and that "one even claims to be pro-life, but is cool with pesticides killing kids."
Later, at around 11 p.m. ET, Luna posted a video on X saying that the House would be debating the amendment she filed regarding the Farm Bill until the "wee hours" before a vote on Thursday morning. She added that, amid the ongoing debate, "people got nasty."
It is not clear who the two lawmakers were or what they said to Luna. Newsweek reached out to Luna's office outside of regular working hours via email for comment.
Why It Matters
The House was set to vote on three bills under a procedural rule introduced to streamline voting and hold the GOP together amid infighting. These bills were the Farm Bill, a three-year extension of the government’s foreign surveillance authority, and a budget resolution tied to immigration enforcement.
Though it aimed to streamline the process, the procedural vote meant that any objections to the Farm Bill, of which there have been many, could block all three measures at once.
However, the planned vote has now been postponed by House leaders after a Republican revolt, people familiar with the plans told Politico, exposing the growing tension in the party regarding the Farm Bill. It is now anticipated to be brought to the floor in May for a vote, per the outlet.
What To Know
Luna has led the opposition to a Farm Bill provision that would shield pesticide makers from liability. She has warned in posts on X that the bill’s current language could endanger public health, saying pesticides “are giving kids cancer” and questioning why Congress would “protect” manufacturers. She has also argued that if the three bills “are forced through under one rule, they are likely to fail together.”
Her amendment to the bill would strike the sections relating to the uniformity of pesticide labeling and the lawful use of authorized pesticides.
The amendment has garnered support from some farm groups and other MAGA-aligned lawmakers, who are largely opposed to the use of pesticides, particularly those containing glyphosate. Reducing the use of pesticides, particularly glyphosate-based ones, has been a major ask of many MAHA supporters as well.
While the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency determined glyphosate to be safe to humans, the International Agency for Research on Cancer has concluded that glyphosate is “probably carcinogenic to humans,” citing “strong” evidence of genotoxicity.
Glyphosate, the key ingredient in the weedkiller Roundup, which has been the subject of tens of thousands of lawsuits, is the most widely used herbicide in the U.S. and worldwide, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.