WASHINGTON (KFGO) – Senator John Hoeven’s office sheds light on why the North Dakota Republican was talking while sitting next to GOP Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell during a vote on the Farm Bill in the Senate Agriculture Committee.
Video shows Hoeven and Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-Arkansas) talking next to McConnell when his name was called on Wednesday, September 16. It appears Hoeven said “No” twice and Boozman said “Aye”.
“After a member tried to reopen the farm bill for additional amendments, there was confusion regarding what the committee was voting on. Senator Hoeven initially thought the vote was to overrule the chair, then realized the vote was on final passage,” Hoeven’s Communications Director Kami Capener said in a statement to KFGO. “At that point, Senator McConnell had already indicated his aye vote on passage of the farm bill.”
The bill passed on a 12-11 party line vote.
McConnell was absent from Washington for 92 days because he was recovering from a fall and pneumonia.
