The head of the conservative House Freedom Caucus said Thursday that it would not support a vote on this year’s federal farm bill until it’s given a chance to consider immigration legislation.

“We believe we’ve got to deal with the immigration issue, yet here we are still not dealing with it,” caucus chairman Mark Meadows, R-N.C. told Fox News. “The time is now, I think even leadership agrees the time is now.”

The farm bill, a five-year renewal of federal farm and nutrition policy, typically is supported by a coalition of farm-state Republicans who back federal agriculture subsidies and other assistance and Democrats supporting food stamps. But this year’s bill contains measures tightening work and job training requirements for food stamps, which have driven Democrats away.

As a result, Meadows said Thursday: “At this point there are not enough votes to pass the farm bill.” A vote on the measure is expected to take place Friday.

Late Thursday, President Trump urged passage of the bill, tweeting: "We must support our Nation's great farmers!"

The Freedom Caucus wants House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., to bring forward a bill co-sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., and House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas.

Under the Goodlatte-McCaul bill, immigrants brought to the United States illegally who are shielded from deportation under the Obama-era DACA program could have their protections renewed for three-year periods, but would not have a pathway to citizenship.

The measure also would eliminate the visa lottery for people from countries with few U.S. immigrants, require employers to use E-Verify systems to confirm workers’ citizenship, and cut grants to so-called “sanctuary cities” that don’t cooperate with federal immigration crackdowns.

“There’s no impending deadline for the farm bill,” Meadows told Fox News. “My farmers want us to tackle immigration.”

Ryan said earlier Thursday that there was no “specific” immigration legislation that that could pass the House at this time.

Sources tell Fox News that the House Republican leadership intends to offer the Freedom Caucus a date in June on which to consider the Goodlatte bill. It was not immediately clear whether the caucus would accept the offer. 

Some GOP moderates also are uneasy about the new work standards for food stamps, which the Congressional Budget Office estimates would drive up to 2 million people off the program.

Currently, adults ages 18 to 59 are required to work part-time or agree to accept a job if they’re offered one. Stricter rules apply to able-bodied adults without dependents between the ages of 18 and 49, who are subject to a three-month limit of benefits unless they meet a work requirement of 80 hours per month.

The new bill expands that requirement to apply to all work-capable adults, mandating that they either work or participate in work training for 20 hours per week with the exception of seniors, pregnant women, caretakers of children under the age of 6, or people with disabilities.

Fox News' Chad Pergram, Anne Ball and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., is one of the most powerful women in politics - but  that hasn’t stopped people from asking if she’ll survive 2018.

Now in her seventh term, her position as Chair of the Republican House Conference makes her the top-ranking female Republican in Congress. But things can change fast in the halls of power, and this year is shaping up as a two-front war for McMorris Rodgers.

That’s because she has to worry about the situation in Washington, D.C. as well as Washington state.  In the east, the retirement of Speaker Paul Ryan has created a GOP scramble for power that some think could leave McMorris Rodgers in the dust. In the west, there’s a potential blue wave election that could mean seats thought to be safe might change hands.

McMorris Rodgers is aware of all the stories floating around D.C.—some claim she isn’t effective in her leadership position and so may be forced out, or will even voluntarily step down.  She says she has no such plans, and many insiders doubt the GOP would push out a high-profile woman like her.

“Being a mom makes politics real. That’s why it’s so critical that more women and moms are elected to Congress..."

- Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash.

The congresswoman believes all the talk about jockeying for power in the Capitol is a distraction, something that serves to get in the way of the true struggle, which is to hold the House in November.  In an interview with Fox News about her career and the challenges she and her party face, McMorris Rodgers said her focus at present “is leading the Conference to stay on track to advance our agenda and keep our majority.”

Regarding the GOP’s chances, she says no one is taking anything for granted, and that “we will continue to run on our record that is delivering real results to Americans and their families....As a leader in the House, I’ve worked to ensure that each House Republican has the resources and strategies they need to reach the hearts and minds of families in their districts.”

Her own re-election in Washington state’s solid blue 5th Congressional District is far from guaranteed.  In the seven times she’s run for Congress, her average victory margin was over 20%.  But polls taken in April give her only a 6% lead over Democrat Lisa Brown, 44% to 38%, with 16% undecided and 3% voting for others. That lead is within the margin of error, so she may be in for the race of her life.

Republican Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler, of Washington’s 3rd District, believes McMorris Rodgers is up to the task as someone who keeps her eye on the ball.  Beutler was previously a legislative aide to McMorris Rodgers, and saw up close how she understood the state she serves.

“I’ll never forget the time...I brought a bill to Cathy and recommended she support it,” Beutler told Fox News. “Cathy, always polite, listed off all of the constituent groups back in Eastern Washington that she wanted to hear from on this bill, and asked me ‘Have you talked to them?’  I hadn’t.  It was a defining moment for me to realize the most important voices aren’t in Washington, D.C.—they’re back home.”

McMorris Rodgers also believes her life as a working mom is an important part of what she represents. “I had all three of my kids while serving in the House, and they have absolutely made me a better legislator,” she explained.  “Being a mom makes politics real. That’s why it’s so critical that more women and moms are elected to Congress, and why it’s essential we have a voice at the leadership table.  We are best suited to make sure that all policies are written with women and moms in mind.”

“I brought a bill to Cathy and recommended she support it. [She] listed off all of the constituent groups back [home] and asked me ‘Have you talked to them?’ I hadn’t. It was a defining moment for me to realize the most important voices aren’t in Washington, D.C. —
they’re back home.”

- Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash.

When her oldest son, Cole, was born with Down Syndrome, that also had a major effect.  She says Cole “has given me a whole new passion to be an ability advocate...In 2014, the ABLE Act was signed into law. It created tax-free savings accounts for people to save for college, retirement and other future expenses.  It marked a new chapter for Cole and the millions of American with a disability.”

She notes she wants to make sure all Americans, no matter their ability level, have the opportunity to find a job and become independent.

When asked to describe her story in just ten words, she said she’s a “pioneer, trailblazer, wife, working mom of three, ability advocate and trust-builder.”

That’s actually eleven words, but who’s counting.  In fact, it’s the counting that’ll take place November that matters to McMorris Rodgers and her party. And she believes she’s in the right place to lead her party to victory. Political pundits are waiting to see if she’s correct.

Fox News' Kristine Kotta contributed reporting to this story.

Sen. John McCain blasted the Obama administration’s response to the 2012 Benghazi attack as “bureaucratic incompetence” and “a-- covering,” in his new memoir set to be released later this month.

Fox News obtained an advance copy of “The Restless Wave: Good Times, Just Causes, Great Fights, and Other Appreciations” written by McCain, R-Ariz., and Mark Salter, who has collaborated with McCain on all seven of his other books.

McCain devotes a chapter to the “Arab Spring,” detailing his visits to Libya and praising U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens -- who was killed in the September 2012 attacks -- as “a talented diplomat, and an exceptional human being.”

“He believed in what he was doing, supporting the Libyan people’s rights to freedom and justice, and helping them build an open society, and he was effective,” McCain wrote. “... I miss him very much.” 

The attack -- in which U.S. Foreign Service Officer Sean Smith, and Navy SEALs Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods, were killed -- was the subject of extensive investigations from congressional Republicans during the Obama administration. 

McCain, in his book, reiterated a central criticism: “Chris had asked the State Department for more security for the Benghazi mission [before the attack], but it had been denied.”  

McCain said he was “terribly saddened” by the news, but “wasn’t angry with the administration” -- at first.

“I started to get angry when it appeared administration officials were knowingly misleading us about the attack, attributing it to a video that some idiot had made mocking Islam that incited a spontaneous mob that turned violent,” McCain wrote. “It took more than a week for the White House to acknowledge it had been a planned terrorist attack. The uproar that ensued became a lasting political controversy that’s still debated.” 

MCCAIN SAYS TRUMP SHOULD SKIP HIS FUNERAL

McCain, throughout the memoir, spoke favorably of his “friend” Hillary Clinton, who at the time of the attack was secretary of state. But the Clinton State Department was faulted for ignoring security concerns in the run-up to the attack, contributing to the poor defense at the post. The Accountability Review Board that examined the tragedy concluded there were, “Systemic failures and leadership and management deficiencies at senior levels” at the department. 

At the time, McCain was an outspoken critic, calling the administration’s response “willful ignorance or abysmal intelligence” and “a massive cover-up or incompetence.” 

'In the end, all it established is what could have been presumed at the beginning, bureaucratic incompetence and a---covering, two common conditions in Washington."

- Sen. John McCain

“In the end, all it established is what could have been presumed at the beginning, bureaucratic incompetence and a-- covering, two common conditions in Washington,” McCain wrote. “Anger subsides, politics moves on, but sadness remains. Chris Stevens deserved better from all of us.”  

The Benghazi segment is just a piece of the 400-page book, which seems to avoid the kind of scorching score-settling found in other recently released political memoirs—but McCain does reserve harsh criticism for President Trump and to a lesser extent Senate colleague Rand Paul.

McCain questioned Trump’s “convictions,” saying he has “appeared to be more than merely a realpolitik adherent” who seems “to mock the idea that America has any business at all in promoting its values abroad.”

“I don’t know if that is sincerely his view or if he believes that global progress of democracy and the rule of law should be only a distant, notional goal of American statecraft,” McCain wrote, noting that Trump “threatened to deliberately kill the spouses and children of terrorists, implying that an atrocity of that magnitude would show the world America’s toughness.”

McCain criticized Trump’s “lack of empathy” for “refugees, innocent, persecuted, desperate men, women and children” as “disturbing” and “appalling.”

McCain also criticized Trump’s usage of the term “fake news,” saying it is “copied by autocrats who want to discredit and control a free press.”  

“The appearance of toughness or a reality show facsimilie of toughness seems to matter more than any of our values,” McCain wrote. “Flattery secures his friendship, criticism his enmity.”

He added: “It’s hard to know what to expect from President Trump, what’s a pose, what’s genuine.”

McCain underscored the importance of “supporting the rights of others,” and said that deserting that mindset would be “an abdication of moral responsibility.” McCain accused Trump of showering “praise” on the “world’s worst tyrants.” 

McCain also took a shot at Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.

“I’ve been to crazy town before, and I’ve seen how impervious to reason, facts, and common sense these delusions can be,” McCain wrote. “Rand Paul believed the unsubstantiated charge that I had met with representatives of ISIS during my brief visit to Syria, and he said so publicly.” 

McCain's book is being released to the backdrop of questions about his health. The 81-year-old Arizona senator underwent surgery for an intestinal infection recently and was diagnosed last summer with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer. 

"I don't know how much longer I'll be here. Maybe I'll have another five years. Maybe, with the advances in oncology, they'll find new treatments for my cancer that will extend my life. Maybe i'll be gone before you read this. My predicament is, well, rather unpredictable," he wrote. "But I'm prepared for either contingency, or at least I'm getting prepared. I have some things I'd like to take care of first, some work that needs finishing, and some people I need to see. And I want to talk to my fellow Americans a little more if I may."

John McCain, who has been battling an aggressive form of brain cancer for more than a year, doesn’t want President Trump to attend his funeral and prefers Vice President Pence to be there, according to a New York Times report.

In addition, former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama have been asked to deliver eulogies at McCain's funeral, sources close to both former presidents and McCain told CNN. 

The 81-year-old Arizona senator underwent surgery for an intestinal infection recently and was joined at his ranch by his daughter Meghan over the weekend. Last July, McCain was diagnosed with glioblastoma, the same rare and aggressive brain cancer that killed Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy and former Vice President Joe Biden’s son, Beau.

“I don’t know how much longer I’ll be here,” McCain said in an audio excerpt of his forthcoming memoir, The Restless Wave, as NPR reports. The senator is also the subject of a nearly two-hour HBO documentary.

Biden spent 90 minutes at the ailing senator’s Arizona ranch last Sunday.

“Here John knows he’s in a very, very, very precarious situation, and yet he’s still concerned about the state of the country,” Biden told the Times. “We talked about how our international reputation is being damaged and we talked about the need for people to stand up and speak out.”

According to the Times, McCain’s closest family members have informed the White House that the current plan for his funeral is for Pence to attend the service to be held in Washington’s National Cathedral, but not Trump — with whom McCain has not had the greatest relationship.

The Arizona senator, who was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986, cast a crucial vote against the repeal of ObamaCare in July, singlehandedly scuttling one of the Trump administration's major policy goals, a move that provoked the ire of Trump but earned him a thank you call from Obama.

Back in July of 2015, Trump attacked McCain for the five and a half years spent in a notorious Vietnamese prison where he was tortured, telling voters in Iowa:

“He’s not a war hero. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.”

In his book, McCain doesn’t pull any punches about Trump.

“He seems uninterested in the moral character of world leaders and their regimes,” he writes of the president, according to the Times, which obtained a copy of the book. “The appearance of toughness or a reality show facsimile of toughness seems to matter more than any of our values. Flattery secures his friendship, criticism his enmity.”

Among other things, McCain reportedly uses his new book to express regret for not choosing former Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, who recently visited McCain at his ranch, as his vice presidential running mate in 2008.

His advisers apparently told him that Lieberman’s pro-choice views could divide GOP voters. McCain ended up picking then-Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who was mocked for a number of unforced errors and gaffes during the campaign.

Former Sen. Robert Dole, who wore McCain’s POW bracelet while his future colleague was in the camp known as “Hanoi Hilton,” told the Times he planned to tell McCain in a coming phone call, “You’re a tough guy and you can overcome this.”

“I’d like to see us recover our sense that we’re more alike than different,” McCain says in audio excerpts from the book reported by NPR.