[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 89 (Thursday, June 20, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E947]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       FEDERAL AGRICULTURE REFORM AND RISK MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2013

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. BILL PASCRELL, JR.

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 18, 2013

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1947) to 
     provide for the reform and continuation of agricultural and 
     other programs of the Department of Agriculture through 
     fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes:

  Mr. PASCRELL. Madam Chair, I rise today in opposition to this Farm 
Bill, H.R. 1947, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act 
of 2013, due to the unconscionable cuts to the SNAP program, formerly 
known as food stamps.
  Across the country, over 47 million of our fellow Americans depend on 
the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to put food on their 
tables each and every day. In my home state of New Jersey alone, SNAP 
serves over 800,000 individuals. These are our friends, family, and 
neighbors. An average monthly benefit of $133.36 per person for 
recipients in New Jersey amounts to $1.48 per meal. This does not go 
very far towards buying nutritious food in a state where the cost of 
living is high. That's why 90 percent of benefits are redeemed by the 
third week of the month.
  Eighty-three percent of SNAP benefits go to households with children, 
seniors, or disabled Americans. These are not freeloaders or people 
trying to game the system; they are our most vulnerable citizens. When 
the going gets tough, we have a responsibility to ensure that a safety 
net is in place for them. When our people go hungry, we pay the 
consequences down the road. Poor nutrition and hunger leads to costly 
but entirely avoidable health problems. Furthermore, as a former 
teacher, I know that students who go hungry have trouble focusing in 
school. We need to ensure that all children have an equal opportunity 
to excel to keep us competitive in today's global economy.
  This bill, however, would take us down the wrong path. It further 
tightens eligibility requirements for SNAP, cutting $20.5 billion by 
kicking about two million people off the program. This bill will also 
kick 210,000 kids off of school meals, and reduce benefits by an 
average of $90 for 850,000 additional households. If we want to reduce 
the costs of this program, don't cruelly throw people off the roles. 
Let's create some jobs and as our economic recovery gains steam, SNAP 
costs will decline as more and more Americans find steady work.
  We are the greatest nation on earth. Our Farm Bills are designed to 
ensure that we can produce food to feed the world. Shouldn't we first 
ensure that we can provide for our own?

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