The Senate Agriculture Committee failed Thursday to advance a critical farm bill out of committee with the absence of two major Republican senators, including Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and opposition from all Democrats.

The vote failed in a party-line 10-11 split after McConnell and Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., were absent. Both senators tried to vote by proxy, but the votes did not count toward the final tally, according to The Hill. 

McConnell's absence was expected because the former Senate Republican leader has been out of the chamber since he fell in June. McConnell was released from a rehabilitation center earlier Thursday but has not yet returned to Congress.

Democrats on the panel have largely pushed back against a provision in the bill that would require states to help cover the cost of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and have called for the implementation date for the provision to be delayed by two years to give states time to reduce SNAP error rates.

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman, R-Ark., tried to counter the Democrats by offering a one-year delay, but the panel's Democrats said it was still not enough time. 

"I’m deeply disappointed Democrats on the Ag Committee voted against advancing a farm bill," Boozman said on X after the vote. "We have a responsibility to stand with America’s farmers, ranchers and rural communities. 

"From the beginning, our goal has been to deliver a bipartisan farm bill that strengthens the farm safety net, invests in rural America and provides producers confidence through updated policies after years of delayed reauthorization," he continued. "America’s farmers and ranchers have pleaded for more farm in the farm bill. Republicans provided it and Democrats rejected it and they simply cannot afford continued delays. The status quo is not only unsustainable for farm country. It is catastrophic."

Boozman admonished the Democratic senators, claiming the legislation was supposed to help American farmers and not Americans on food stamps. 

"I remain committed to working with those who put our farmers and rural communities first on advancing solutions that strengthen agriculture," he added.

The panel is expected to vote again in September when the chamber returns from its August recess.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.