[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 20 (Monday, February 3, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E154]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


  CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 2642, FEDERAL AGRICULTURE REFORM AND RISK 
                         MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2014

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                               speech of

                         HON. YVETTE D. CLARKE

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 29, 2014

  Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in opposition to 
H.R. 2642, a bill that will starve millions of families and children 
and further add to the economic instability of American families.
  Cutting the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, referred to as 
``SNAP,'' by eight billion dollars ($8 billion) over the next ten 
years, H.R. 2642 will undermine access to healthy food for the many 
children, disabled people, and senior citizens who account for eighty-
three percent of the beneficiaries of the program.
  It is estimated that eight hundred and fifty thousand (850,000) 
households, of which three hundred thousand (300,000) are New Yorkers, 
will lose on average ninety ($90) dollars per month in SNAP benefits.
  While I am glad that the far larger cuts were rejected by the 
Conference Committee, the loss of ninety ($90) dollars per month is 
deeply harmful to these households, which are already teetering on the 
brink of economic catastrophe.
  What are we thinking? We are literally taking the food out of the 
mouths of babes, while continuing to provide generous subsidies to 
large agro-businesses.
  It is for these reasons that I will vote no on this bill and I ask my 
colleagues to oppose this bill with me.

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