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House Ag farm bill markup rescheduled for March 3
On Sunday, February 22, House Agriculture Committee Republicans informed stakeholders that the markup of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 would be postponed to the week of March 1 due to the inclement weather impacting a large part of the country, especially the Washington D.C.-Maryland-Virginia region. The markup was originally scheduled to begin earlier this week starting Monday, February 23, and go through Wednesday, February 25th. Now, the markup is scheduled to begin Tuesday, March 3 at 5:00pm ET and is expected to last until Wednesday, March 4.
You can watch the markup live here and can find the following resources for the 2026 Farm Bill below:
President Trump addresses Congress during annual SOTU
On Tuesday, February 24, President Trump fulfilled his constitutional obligation to report to Congress on the state of the nation, delivering the first State of the Union (SOTU) address of his second term before a joint session and an audience of millions watching at home. The annual address usually carries outsized significance, offering President Trump a rare opportunity to speak directly to the country, set the legislative agenda and define the terms of debate for the year ahead and the critical midterm elections in November. The evening was vintage Trump: a lengthy, freewheeling speech that frequently departed from the prepared text with numerous surprises and feel-good moments related to guests in the First Lady’s box. President Trump laid out an economic agenda largely focused on affordability and a muscular foreign policy agenda. Democrats, led by Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger, drove a sharp counter-message, arguing that he has failed to deliver on his core promise of making American life more affordable and accusing the President of corruption. You can watch a recording of the 2026 SOTU address here.
Supreme Court issues ruling overturning IEEPA tariff authority
Last Friday, February 19, the U.S. Supreme Court released their opinion on the highly anticipated Learning Resources v. Trump case, generally overturning the President’s use of International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) for tariff authority. The decision was 6-3 with Justices Alito, Thomas, and Kavanaugh dissenting. Shortly following the decision, President Trump invoked Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 to impose a global tariff rate of 10%. Following the initial announcement, President Trump posted on Truth Social announcing the global tariff rate will be increased to 15% effective immediately, although related details and parameters are still forthcoming and yet to be confirmed through official documentation from the Administration. This authority is to address a “large and serious balance-of-payment deficit” and can stay in effect for no more than 150 days unless Congress authorizes an extension. Certain agricultural products are exempted, including beef, tomatoes, and oranges according to the executive order (EO) released on February 20. It also states that natural resources and fertilizers that cannot be produced in sufficient quantities to meet domestic demand are exempted. Section 232 and Section 301 tariffs are still in place. See the EO here. See the Supreme Court majority opinion here.
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