Wednesday the House Agriculture Committee approved the 2018 Farm Bill on vote of 26 to 20 and sent it to the House floor. Democrats on the Committee, including Ranking Member Collin Peterson are opposing the measure and are calling the $867 billion bill “treacherous, cruel, mean-spirited and shameful, even racist.”

Chairman Mike Conaway countered saying he shared all his proposals with Peterson beforehand, but blamed him for ending any bipartisanship.

Republicans pressed forward with amendments while Democrats heaped on criticism, even outside the bill’s nutrition title. That included Illinois Congresswoman Cheri Bustos.

The Republicans say the farm bill protects crop insurance. It improves the ARC and PLC programs, allowing reference prices to adjust when markets improve, and helps minimize ARC disparities between counties. Plus, it updates market loan limits for the first time in 16 years.

The bill is expected to be voted on in the full House in May.