Scott DesJarlais

Ohio Democratic Rep. Marcia L. Fudge on Wednesday challenged the Agriculture Department’s premise for a rule that would restrict food stamp benefits for some working poor, using as an example employees who clean Capitol Hill office buildings or serve lawmakers food in the cafeterias.

“Even this government doesn’t pay them enough to make a living,” said Fudge, who chairs the Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight and Department Operations, at a hearing on a proposed USDA rule that would restrict states’ ability to issue waivers for some able-bodied adults without dependents from food stamp time limits and work requirements.

House Republicans on Wednesday elected Rep. Kevin McCarthy as their minority leader over Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, a decision that improves the likelihood that one day the California Republican might be speaker. 

McCarthy has vowed to lead Republicans back into the majority over the next two years. If he succeeds, the chances of him being elected speaker would be significantly higher than had Republicans held the majority this year. 

As news broke Monday morning that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein was resigning or expecting to be fired, Democrats were quick to call for congressional action to protect the special counsel investigation that Rosenstein has managed. 

“With Rosenstein’s departure there is one less barrier protecting the Mueller investigation from President [Donald] Trump’s interference,” Florida Rep. Val Demings said in a statement. “Congress must take immediate steps to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law — which protects all of us — by shielding the Mueller investigation against President Trump’s obstruction."

Democrats and a handful of Republicans responded quickly to oppose impeachment articles against Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein brought forth by members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus.

Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows of North Carolina and Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, a founding member, introduced a resolution to impeach Rosenstein late Wednesday but did not file it as a privileged resolution to force a vote by the whole House.

Moderate Republicans have given a lot of ground to conservatives in immigration talks, but it’s the one matter where they’ve refused to negotiate that is likely to sink a compromise bill the House is scheduled to vote on Wednesday.

The bill, which members representing the various GOP factions have spent the past few weeks negotiating, will not pass the House on Wednesday, several members close to the discussions acknowledged Tuesday.

The press release from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee was groundbreaking, if difficult to believe.

The chairman of the DCCC said his committee “will not fund any Democratic candidate who initiates attacks against their Republican opponents of an ‘intimate’ personal nature.”

Rep. Tim Murphy, who has been praised by the anti-abortion rights movement, urged a woman with whom he had an affair to have an abortion, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Tuesday.

The revelations come as the House is debating a ban on abortions after 20 weeks, which Murphy co-sponsored.  Murphy voted for the bill Tuesday evening. He is also a member of the Pro-Life Caucus. 

After Tennessee Republican Sen. Bob Corker’s retirement announcement Tuesday, retired NFL quarterback Peyton Manning’s name quickly entered the conversation.

But Tennessee Republican Rep. Scott DesJarlais told Business Insider that Manning would likely choose to run for Sen. Lamar Alexander’s seat if he decides to retire in 2020.

By LINDSEY McPHERSON and ERIN MERSHON, CQ ROLL CALL

Conservative Republicans put their moderate colleagues in the health care hot seat Wednesday.