US first-quarter growth rebounds less than expected as inflation surges

The United States on Thursday slapped sanctions on the Democratic Republic of Congo's long-serving former president Joseph Kabila, backing allegations he has assisted Rwandan-linked rebels who have seized vast parts of his country. 

It is the latest action by the United States to punish Rwanda or its supporters for violations in a peace deal, which President Donald Trump had announced with fanfare as he met the two countries' leaders in December.

"President Trump is paving the way for peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and he has been clear that those who continue to sow instability will be held accountable," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement reported first by AFP.

"Treasury will continue to use its full range of tools to support the integrity of the Washington Accords."

State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said that Kabila has offered "financial and political support" to groups that are "the principal drivers of violence and instability in the region."

Kabila succeeded his assassinated father as president of the vast and long-troubled nation in 2001, staying in power until 2019 after extending his term beyond the constitutional limit.

After going into self-imposed exile, he re-emerged last year in Goma, the key eastern city that had come under the control of Rwandan-based M23 fighters as they mounted a lightning offensive.

A military court last year sentenced Kabila to death in absentia for treason and other charges over his role with the rebel group, a move that effectively blocks him from returning to Kinshasa to seek any political comeback.

But Kabila still has major business interests inside the country, despite efforts by the government to seize them, meaning his allies could risk the wrath of US sanctions if they continue to work with him.

The Treasury Department said it was believed that Kabila was living in Goma.

It said that he returned "with the intent to destabilize" the country and that he provided financial support to the M23's political arm. 

It also charged that he had tried to encourage DRC armed forces to defect and encouraged attacks against them.

- Disappointment in Washington -

Trump had voiced hope for a peace deal that would give the United States privileged access to the rich minerals in the eastern DRC. 

But M23 troops kept advancing even after the accord, leading the United States to condemn Rwanda and slap sanctions in March on the Rwandan military.

Rwanda has denied direct support to the M23 and has demanded that the Kinshasa government crack down on Hutu militants in the country linked to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda against Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

Rwanda -- in an earlier effort to crush Hutu extremists after the genocide -- had helped bring to power Kabila's father, Laurent Kabila, who in 1997 toppled Mobutu Sese Seko, the dictator who had ruled for decades over the country then known as Zaire.

Joseph Kabila has blamed his successor, President Felix Tshisekedi, for problems in the country and said it was wrong to blame the unrest only on the M23.

"Any attempt to find a solution to this crisis that ignores its root causes — at the top of which lies the governance of the DRC by its current leadership — will not bring lasting peace," he wrote in South Africa's Sunday Times newspaper last year.

Kabila had enjoyed warm relations early in his tenure with the United States but the relationship deteriorated over his human rights record, attempts to stay in power and opening of mines to China. 

The US sanctions block any assets Kabila has in the United States and would make financial transactions with him a crime in the United States.

sct/msp

The international jury of the upcoming Venice Biennale Art Exhibition resigned Thursday in a row over the organisation's decision to allow Russia to participate in this year's event.

The resignations came a week after the jury said it would exclude countries from awards if the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for war crimes against their leaders -- meaning Russia and Israel.

The exhibition is due to open on May 9. 

The organisers of the event -- the world's top international art exhibition -- said in March that they would allow Russia to take part but the decision has been strongly criticised by Ukraine and the EU.

Critics argue Russia's participation will provide a prominent platform for soft power flexing.

Brussels warned it could cut funding, while the Italian government -- which has supported Ukraine in the war -- stressed the Biennale was acting "entirely independently" of Rome's wishes.

Following the resignations, the Biennale said it has "decided that the award ceremony of the 61st International Art Exhibition, previously scheduled for May 9, will take place on Sunday November 22".

It also said it would hand out two awards, one which could be won by any one of the "National Participations included in the 61st Exhibition, as per the official list, following the principle of inclusion and equal treatment".

Visitors to the Biennale would be able to vote for the awards, it said.

- 'Artistic freedom' -

The decision was "consistent with the founding spirit of La Biennale, based on openness, dialogue, and the rejection of any form of closure or censorship," it said in a statement.

"La Biennale seeks to be, and must remain, a place of truce in the name of art, culture, and artistic freedom," it said.

Belu-Simion Fainaru, a sculptor representing Israel this year, told Italy's ANSA news agency after the jury resigned that "artists must be treated in a fair and non-discriminatory fashion, and judged on their work not their passport". 

The resignations came a day after the culture ministry dispatched inspectors to the Biennale over the case, according to Italian media reports.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni repeated Thursday that her government "does not agree with the decision" made by Biennale President Pietrangelo Buttafuoco.

"I would not have made that choice myself", she told a press conference, but "the Biennale is an independent body".

The Venice Biennale is an international cultural organisation started in 1895 that presents major cultural festivals and runs its flagship art exhibition and architecture exhibition on alternating years.

Participating countries set up pavilions in Venice, and the art biennial typically attracts more than 600,000 visitors over its seven-month run.

In the days after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the Biennale banned anyone linked to the Russian government from attending that year's edition.

Russia was also absent at the next event in 2024, but is on the list of national participants for the 2026 exhibition.

Artists from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus -- a close ally of Moscow that allowed its territory to be used in the invasion -- will be in Venice, as will others from Iran, Israel and the United States.

ide/phz

FIFA President Gianni Infantino reiterated that Iran will play their World Cup games in the United States as scheduled on Thursday as he kicked off the global football body's summit in Vancouver.

Iran's participation at this year's tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States has been shrouded in uncertainty since the eruption of war in the Middle East in February following strikes by the United States and Israel.

Infantino, who has repeatedly stated that Iran will be at the World Cup, underscored that stance at the start of his address to delegates in Vancouver.

"Let me start by the outset, confirming straightaway that of course Iran will be participating at the FIFA World Cup 2026," Infantino said. "And of course, Iran will play (in) the United States of America."

Iranian officials had floated the idea of shifting their group games from the United States to Mexico, but that proposal had already been nixed by Infantino.

In a further twist last week, Italy-born US special envoy Paolo Zampolli was reported to have floated the idea of Italy taking Iran's World Cup place.

The US government later distanced themselves from that proposal, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying Iran's footballers would be welcome.

But the tension surrounding Iran's World Cup participation rumbled into the build-up to Thursday's FIFA Congress.

Iran was the only absentee from the 211-member congress as Thursday's meeting got under way after a clash with Canadian border officials earlier this week.

Officials from the Iranian football federation (FFIRI) abruptly left Canada after landing in Toronto, abandoning their onward trip to Vancouver.

Iranian media said FFIRI president Mehdi Taj -- a former member of Tehran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) -- and two colleagues flew home after being "insulted" by Canadian immigration officers.

Canada, which designated the IRGC a terrorist organization in 2024, said Wednesday that individuals linked to the force were "inadmissible."

"While we cannot comment on individual cases due to privacy laws, the government has been clear and consistent: IRGC officials are inadmissible to Canada and have no place in our country," Canada's immigration agency said in a statement.

Iran, who are due to be based in Tucson, Arizona during the World Cup, face New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt in Group G.

The Iranians open their World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15.

rcw/nf

Trainer Todd Pletcher hopes his early favorite Renegade can overcome the dreaded inside post on Saturday to capture the 152nd Kentucky Derby.

"We're going to be on pins and needles like everyone else just hoping everything goes smoothly," Pletcher said this week at Churchill Downs, where Renedgade will break from the first post with Puerto Rican jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. in the irons.

Renegade was priced at 4-1, even though Ferdinand, 40 years ago, was the last Derby winner to break from the No. 1 gate.

Pletcher said the switch to a single 20-horse gate -- rather than two side-by-side gates -- has not greatly improved the chances of ending that drought, as he has reason to know.

"I still think it's a tough spot," said Pletcher, who has now had three Derby runners draw the inside post.

In 2021, his Known Agenda finished ninth and Mo Donegal was fifth in 2022.

"The break becomes so critical," said Pletcher, who saddled Derby winners Super Saver in 2010 and Always Dreaming in 2017. "Mo Donegal, he didn't break well, and he got shuffled way back.

"Known Agenda was, like, 11th at one point after breaking and then got shuffled all the way back to 18th. He was never able to recover from that," added Pletcher, who admitted that when he learned, while in flight to Kentucky, that Renegade had drawn the first post he "reached for the air-sickness bag".

Renegade owner Mike Repole is chasing a first Kentucky Derby winner, having come up empty with eight prior runners in the first jewel in US flat racing's Triple Crown.

Renegade confirmed his status as a contender with a victory in the Arkansas Derby last month.

Trainer Brad Cox's Commandment and Further Ado were both priced at 6-1. Commandment will start from the sixth post under jockey Luis Saez. Further Ado drew the 18th post and will be ridden by John Velazquez.

Cox's Fulleffort, coming off a victory in the Jeff Ruby Stakes, was scratched on Thursday with a hind ankle injury and was replaced in the field by the also-eligible Ocelli -- who is seeking a maiden win.

Silent Tactic, trained by Mark Casse, was ruled out on Wednesday with a "very, very slight" foot injury.

"The timing's poor, but it's not a big deal and that's the most important thing," Casse said, indicating the horse would be pointed at the Preakness on May 16.

- Baffert seeks record-breaker -

The Triple Crown will conclude with the Belmont Stakes on June 6, although neither the Preakness nor Belmont will be run at their historic venues.

The Preakness will be run at Laurel Park in Maryland as Pimlico Race Course undergoes renovations while the Belmont will be run at Saratoga for the third and final year due to renovations at Belmont Park.

Only 13 horses have completed the coveted treble, most recently trainer Bob Baffert's American Pharoah in 2015 and Justify in 2018.

Baffert has two chances to win a seventh Kentucky Derby and break a tie with Ben Jones for the most of any trainer. He sends out Litmus Test and Potente.

Trainer Riley Mott has his first Derby runners in Albus and Incredibolt while his father Bill Mott, who saddled last year's Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty, seeks a  repeat with Chief Wallabee.

bb/pb

Gyms and cafes have reopened in Tehran as life returns to a familiar rhythm under a ceasefire following weeks of US-Israeli airstrikes, but for IT worker Mayhar such everyday amenities are out of reach as financial pressures mount. 

Trendy cafes in affluent northern Tehran were busy on Wednesday night, the start of Iran's weekend, with men and women sipping colourful drinks and strolling the streets. 

But the sense of normalcy belies the economic pains weighing on many Iranians in the capital and beyond, as Tehran and Washington face off with market-rattling blockades. 

"For many people, paying rent and even buying food has become difficult, and some have nothing left at all," 28-year-old Mahyar told an AFP reporter based outside Iran, saying the company he worked for had laid off 34 people -- nearly 40 percent of its staff. 

Salaries hadn't been increased either, Mahyar said, and inflation, already over 45 percent before the war, reached 53.7 percent in recent weeks, according to the national statistics centre. 

"Only those who had real estate, large businesses and significant wealth still have a normal situation," he said. 

The Iranian rial plummeted to a record low against the dollar on Wednesday, according to currency-tracking websites, trading at around 1.8 million on the black market, compared to 1.7 million at the time the war erupted. 

Iran's deputy labour minister said that 191,000 people had filed for unemployment after losing their jobs due to the impacts of the war.

- 'Increasing every day' - 

But 49-year-old Tonekabon said "even wealthy people are complaining", as tenants -- including his own -- struggle to pay rent. 

"Everyone is repairing what they have or buying second-hand instead," he said. 

Prices have been steadily rising, making paying for basic necessities a challenge, with anything but immediate needs put off.

The minimum daily wage in Iran is roughly 5.5 million rials ($3 on Thursday, according to currency-tracking websites), said a labour authority announcement carried by state media on April 20. 

But as of April 28, less than a litre of cooking oil cost around four million rials and eggs were 240,000 each, with meat costing from seven to 23 million rials per kilogramme. 

"Even during wartime, prices didn't rise this much, they're increasing every day," said Fatemeh, a 29-year-old in the southeastern Iranian city of Zahedan. 

The mother-of-two said she works all day sewing clothes and embroidering but she can't afford baby formula for her youngest. 

With her husband unemployed, she says she has been putting off medical care for a painful tooth for three months because she can't afford it or find anyone to lend her the money. 

"It's not just us, many of our relatives and neighbours don't go for medical treatment because it has become so expensive." 

Student Shahin Nampoor was fed up with mounting costs and varying prices, not to mention the current impasse in bringing the war to a definitive end. 

"Either there should be an agreement, or a war," he told AFP journalists in Tehran.

- 'Despite it all' -

Iran's sanctions-hit economy was already struggling before Israel and the United States launched the war on February 28, and the conflict has only ratcheted up the pressure. 

Iran recently banned steel exports after Israeli-US airstrikes targeted its plants, as well as civilian infrastructure including roads, bridges and petrochemical facilities. 

The Islamic republic has been inflicting global economic pain by choking off vital trade through the Strait of Hormuz, but its own ports have been blockaded by Washington to try to pressure it into a deal on its nuclear programme. 

Some Iranians have expressed worry the standoff could explode into fighting again, but for many their focus is on getting by each day. 

Some said they couldn't find work, while others saw their income dry up after the authorities restricted the internet when the war started, suffocating industries and workers that relied on connecting to the global web. 

There has been little indication that protests might break out as they did in late December, sparked by economic pains and quickly expanding into mass anti-government rallies met by a violent crackdown that rights groups say killed thousands. 

Shervin, a photographer, lost his online work and for the first time was late paying rent recently. 

He said he can't afford his music streaming platform subscription anymore, but is going to parks and cafes for some normalcy, like the families who set out in paddleboats on a lake in Tehran on Wednesday or cycled through one of the city's leafy parks. 

"I am trying to see the beauty in life and to keep going despite it all," said Shervin. 

burs-sw/smw

The US Congress on Thursday approved funding for most of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), ending a record-breaking partial government shutdown that has disrupted critical agencies for more than two months.

The House approved the measure, already passed by the Senate, sending it to President Donald Trump for signature. It will fund key DHS agencies through the end of the fiscal year on September 30.

It does not include new money for immigration and border enforcement, leaving unresolved the political dispute that triggered the shutdown.

The House cleared the bill by voice vote just hours before a critical deadline, after Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin warned that emergency funds used to cover salaries would soon run dry. 

The department has been partially shuttered since February 14, making it the longest funding lapse of its kind, at 75 days.

The legislation restores normal funding to agencies including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Coast Guard, the Transportation Security Administration and the Secret Service. 

But Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol -- at the center of a bitter partisan fight -- are excluded from the deal.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson "extended the DHS shutdown for over a month for no reason at all. This is the same bill the Senate unanimously passed five weeks ago," said Patty Murray, the top Democrat on government funding in the upper chamber.

"After Republicans spent months blocking disaster relief and funding for the TSA, Coast Guard, and our cyber defense agency, it is a very good thing that this bill is finally on track to be signed into law to fund these agencies."

The standoff began when Democrats refused to support funding for immigration enforcement without new restrictions on tactics such as raids in sensitive locations and the use of masks by officers. 

Republicans rejected those demands, instead pushing for full funding of the agencies without new conditions.

The result is a two-track approach to financing DHS. 

Lawmakers have reopened most of the department for now, while Republicans move separately to secure tens of billions of dollars for ICE and Border Patrol through the "budget reconciliation" process, which would allow them to bypass Democrats.

- 'Safety and security' -

Johnson had resisted bringing the Senate compromise to a vote for weeks, calling it inadequate and insisting that immigration enforcement must be fully funded. 

But mounting pressure from the White House, moderate Republicans and officials warning of looming payroll shortfalls forced leadership to act.

The prolonged impasse exposed deep divisions within the Republican Party, with hardliners opposing the partial funding bill and centrists warning of political fallout from continuing the shutdown. 

Republican Congressman Nick Langworthy wrote to Johnson on Monday urging him to put the Senate-passed bill on the floor. 

"Thank you to (Trump) for agreeing and demanding action," he posted on social media. "Not another day should go by with our safety and security at risk."

The shutdown has taken a toll on federal workers and operations. 

Thousands of DHS employees worked without pay for weeks, while more than 1,000 Transportation Security Administration staff reportedly quit. Preparations for major events, including World Cup matches scheduled in US cities this summer, were also under threat.

Despite the resolution, the underlying political conflict remains unresolved. Republicans are pushing to approve up to $70 billion in funding for immigration enforcement agencies for the remainder of Trump's term, while Democrats continue to demand tighter oversight and limits on enforcement practices.

The episode underscores the sharp partisan divide over immigration policy just months ahead of midterm elections that will determine control of Congress, and highlights the challenges facing House Republicans as they navigate internal divisions while advancing the president's agenda.

With lawmakers now leaving Washington for a recess, attention is set to shift to the next phase of the funding fight -- and whether Congress can resolve the dispute over immigration enforcement without another shutdown looming later this year.

ft/ksb

(The Center Square) - Six candidates are competing for the Democratic nomination in Georgia's 13th Congressional District. 

Incumbent David Scott died on April 22. Scott served in Congress for 23 years. 

The candidates are Everton Blair, Jasmine Clark, Jeffree Fauntleroy, Emanuel Jones, Heavenly Elaine Kimes, and Joe Lester. 

Fauntleroy told The Center Square his district does not need another career politician. He called for six-year term limits on members of Congress representing the 13th District.

“I believe you should be able to get things done in those six years and if you’ve done them effectively that’s a good thing,” Fauntleroy said.

Fauntleroy has also criticized Israel’s military action in Palestine. He has committed to rejecting campaign donations from groups aligned with Israel, including the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a large, bipartisan pro-Israel lobbying group.

“As a small business owner, I know how to look at a budget and identify where excess money is being spent,” Fauntleroy said. “Instead of giving our money to Israel, our tax dollars belong here in our community to fund Medicare for all.”

Fauntleroy also proposed an economic accountability dashboard to track federal funds invested throughout the district. He said the dashboard would allow residents to see how elected officials negotiate funding for district programs.

“Now it’s up to you–the citizens– to make sure those dollars are being spent correctly so that you know if your elected officials are doing the right thing for you,” Fauntleroy said.

Clark has served in the Georgia House of Representatives since 2019. 

“We need to be bold, loud, and intentional about standing up for our values and against what’s happening in our communities,” Clark said on her website.

Jones is focusing his campaign on expanding Medicaid throughout the state.

“I support efforts to lower prescription drug costs and ensure our seniors have access to affordable, high-quality healthcare,” Jones wrote on his campaign website.

Kimes, a dentist, has focused her campaign on expanding Medicare and advancing climate legislation.

Kimes pointed to the 2024 Rockdale chemical plant explosion as an indicator of the need to advance legislation that protects communities from environmental incidents. The Georgia Supreme Court heard arguments in the fallout from the explosion, as community members called for medical monitoring of residents living near the plant.

“In Congress, I will fight to hold corporate polluters accountable and secure federal funding to ensure every family has a healthy environment to call home,” Kimes wrote on her campaign website.

Blair, Clark, Jones, Kimes and Lester did not respond to a request for an interview. 

With six candidates, the contest is likely to be settled in a runoff since Georgia law requires candidates to receive more than 50% of the vote to win. Early voting continues through May 15. The runoff will be held on June 16. 

The winner of the Democratic primary will face Jonathan James Chavez in November. Chavez was the only Republican to qualify for the race. 

(The Center Square) – After weeks of delay, the U.S. House finally approved the Senate’s legislation reopening the Department of Homeland Security.

Once President Donald Trump signs the legislation, the 76-day DHS shutdown will end and all agencies except Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol will receive full annual funds.

“The House passing the Department of Homeland Secruity [sic] (DHS) funding bill is an important step toward protecting our nation and keeping critical agencies operational,” U.S> Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., posted on X after the vote.

“But there's still work ahead. ICE and CBP were left out, and that must be fixed. Securing our homeland requires a fully funded DHS across the board, and House Republicans will continue working to get the job done.”

The Thursday adoption of the hybrid FY 2026 Homeland Security appropriations bill comes a day after the House adopted the Senate’s blueprint for a budget reconciliation bill to provide annual ICE and CBP funding for the next three years.

House Republicans had been waiting for actionable progress on budget reconciliation before agreeing to the Senate’s plan of funding ICE and CBP separately from the rest of DHS

Using a filibuster-proof budget reconciliation bill to provide advance annual funds for federal agencies is highly unorthodox.

But it allows Republicans to secure immigration enforcement funding without having to comply with Democrats’ list of policy ultimatums.

“Democrats got absolutely nothing for their political charade and shenanigans,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters. “In spite of our razor-thin, historically small majority, House Republicans continue to deliver for the American people.”

Valtteri Bottas on Wednesday revealed he deliberately endured a dangerous near-starvation diet to control his weight during his second season as a Formula One driver with Williams 12 years ago. 

The 36-year-old Finn, who has returned to F1 with the new American Cadillac team after a season on the sidelines, admitted he was "delusional" and felt "like a drug addict" as he aimed to lose 10 kilos.

In a letter published by The Players’ Tribune, he said he began the diet after his Williams team forecast they would have an overweight car in 2014 and suggested he should lose five kilos.

"This was back when there was no seat-plus-driver weight minimum," explained Bottas, who will line up on the grid for Cadillac for the fourth race of the 2026 season, his 13th in Formula One, in Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix. 

"If you put a clear goal like that in front of me, I am going to obsess over it ... When you tell me five kilos in two months, my brain thinks, 'five? Why not 10? We can make the car even quicker.'

"So, I started eating steamed broccoli and a bit of steamed cauliflower for almost every meal. I can still smell the broccoli. Wet. Green. Plain. My god. It was like a game to me. 

"I would wake up and weigh myself every morning, and when I'd see the number go down, I'd feel a deep satisfaction. I would come back from a 90-minute run and eat my little bowl of steamed broccoli, just to have enough energy so I could go for another 90-minute run.

"I had this GPS watch and my coach could track my training, my heart rate, everything. I knew he would think I was burning myself out, so I started taking the watch off and leaving it at home before my second session. The game became completely consuming."

Bottas said he continued the most extreme diet for two months, admitting "my nerves were shot – I would wake up at 4am on my own, no alarm, my heart beating out of my chest."

- Intense foggy spells -

When pre-season testing began, he said, the Williams car was "actually underweight ... Welcome to F1."

He then began to "feel weird" and suffer "intense foggy spells -- not full-blown panic attacks exactly, but when I was in a crowd, I would start to feel dizzy and had to get out. I wanted to be alone or in the car."

Finally, he said, he went to see a psychologist after the tragic rain-hit 2014 Japanese Grand Prix and Jules Bianchi’s ultimately fatal accident.

The psychologist told him: "You know Valtteri, you don't seem to have any interests outside of racing. Nothing else that brings you joy. You're almost like a machine.

"He was right,” admitted Bottas, winner of 10 Grands Prix. "My whole identity was the car."

He ended the diet and recovered form and health to enjoy a career that took him from Williams to Mercedes in 2017 as number two to seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton and then three years with Sauber to 2024. 

His revelation may shock many, but weight control was a critical factor for drivers for many years before regulations were eased.

str/bb

(The Center Square) – The Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 passed the U.S. House Thursday in a 224-200 vote, a hopeful sign for America’s agricultural industry that has operated for the past eight years without updated federal farm policies.

“This Farm Bill was not written in the halls of Congress, but in the fields and rural communities across our great nation,” House Agriculture Committee Chair Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., stated on social media after the Thursday vote.

“Every provision is a direct reflection of what we learned during each of the more than 150 listening sessions the Agriculture Committee held.”

Despite both partisan and interparty tug-of-wars over certain sections of the bill, the legislation ultimately received the support of 14 Democrats, as well as the highest level of House Republican support for a farm bill in U.S. history.

Part of the bill’s success was due to the last-minute passage of key amendments that stripped some of the more contentious provisions.

Lawmakers bipartisanly gutted a policy that would have shielded pesticide manufacturers from state-level personal injury lawsuits, so long as product labeling adhered to federal standards.

They also stripped a provision that would have authorized year-round E15 sales, though lawmakers plan to vote on that policy in a separate bill in the near future.

Most of the 2026 Farm Bill’s content was bipartisan, though many Democrats believe it is too “skinny.”

Like all farm bills, the legislation updates funding levels for crop insurance and price support, disaster assistance, risk management programs, operation and marketing loans, and federal agricultural research.

It also outlines investments in rural broadband connectivity, forest management, water infrastructure, and hospital assistance, as well as the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).

Hundreds of stakeholders support the long-overdue farm bill, including the American Farm Bureau Federation.

“After three years of extensions and eight years since a farm bill was passed, we’re grateful the House found a bipartisan path forward,” AFBF President Zippy Duvall said in a statement Thursday.

“Important updates to research and conservation, as well as increased loan limits and clarity on interstate commerce, will help farmers survive today’s challenges and give them the tools to thrive in the future.”

Duvall added that AFBF “urge[s] the Senate to follow the House’s lead and move this important bipartisan legislation forward. Food security is national security, and investing in America’s farmers and ranchers is an investment in America’s families.”