[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 15, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E81]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DINA TITUS

                               of nevada

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 15, 2014

  Ms. TITUS. Mr. Speaker, nearly 350,000 Southern Nevada residents 
regularly struggle to secure enough food to feed themselves and nurture 
their families.
  During the recent recession, demand for nutrition assistance 
increased dramatically. As a result, charitable organizations across 
the country have been asked to do more with less. In my district, Three 
Square Food Bank has witnessed former donors becoming clients due to 
layoffs and long-term unemployment.
  As the Farm Bill is finalized, I'd like to urge the members of the 
joint committee to protect funding for the Supplemental Nutrition 
Assistance Program and reauthorize categorical eligibility so Southern 
Nevadans struggling in this economy can continue to access the programs 
they rely on to make ends meet.
  Let me tell you about Jennifer who lives in Southern Nevada. 
Jennifer, her two children, and her sister are considered a household 
under existing law. They live together, buy food together, and eat 
meals together as a family. Jennifer and her sister each own a car, 
which they rely on to get to work on time every day. These are not 
luxury cars; both are eight years old and in need of repair.
  The problem for Jennifer and her family is that the SNAP program has 
strict eligibility requirements that make it very difficult for 
families with even moderate assets, like aging cars, to qualify for the 
nutrition assistance program. Categorical eligibility helps solve this 
problem by recognizing that many low-income families who qualify for 
other assistance programs also need basic food assistance. If 
categorical eligibility is eliminated, Jennifer and millions of other 
low-income families with gross incomes or assets just above the federal 
SNAP limit would become ineligible for SNAP benefits simply because of 
the value of the modest cars they own.
  Categorical eligibility has been demonized in recent months, but it 
plays a critical role in helping families like Jennifer's access the 
programs they need so that their basic expenses are met each month. It 
also enables these families to keep assets, like an aging car, without 
having to make the difficult choice between food assistance and 
transportation. This is especially important for the nearly 40,000 
unemployed Nevadans who need a reliable vehicle to search for jobs and 
secure employment once they've been hired.
  I urge the members of the joint committee to protect the Supplemental 
Nutrition Assistance Program and maintain categorical eligibility so 
working families like Jennifer's can continue to receive this vital 
food assistance.

                          ____________________