[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 109 (Thursday, July 19, 2012)]
[House]
[Page H5027]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PROPOSED SNAP PROGRAM CUTS
(Mr. GRIJALVA asked and was given permission to address the House for
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, at a time when the Republican majority
has, in another wasted effort, repealed health care reform for the 33rd
time, at a time when we will not see on this floor a vote to extend tax
cuts for the middle class, now the Republican majority is planning to
literally take food out of the mouths of families and children by
cutting $16.5 billion from the SNAP program in the farm bill.
This represents 45 percent of all the cuts, immediately cuts 3
million families and children from the program, and this is at a time
when one in seven American families depend on some supplemental food
assistance.
But as the Republican majority fiddles away, we know that there is a
crisis. Fifty-eight percent of all food bank clients currently
receiving SNAP benefits need assistance from them. The resulting demand
to food banks will put additional pressure on our communities and on
families.
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