[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 6 (Tuesday, January 13, 2015)]
[House]
[Pages H228-H229]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1015
                             END HUNGER NOW

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I have come to the floor today to give a 
voice to those who are hungry, to share their struggles, and to 
challenge my House colleagues to take meaningful action to end hunger 
now.
  Last week the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities released a 
troubling new report estimating that roughly 1 million unemployed 
Americans will be cut off from SNAP benefits over the course of 2016. 
The report anticipates that those affected will lose between $150 and 
$200 per person per month in food benefits--cuts that will cause 
serious hardship. Mr. Speaker, this is shameful, and it deserves our 
attention. We should be working to end hunger now, not making it worse.
  The 1996 welfare law limits individuals aged 18 to 50 who are not 
disabled or caring for young children to 3 months of SNAP benefits in 
any 36-month period if they aren't employed or in a work training 
program for 20 hours or more a week. That sounds reasonable, but when 
jobs and job training are not available, it isn't so reasonable.
  During times of high unemployment, Governors can request a waiver to 
the 3-month time limit for their State.

[[Page H229]]

During the Great Recession, Governors, both Republicans and Democrats, 
in 46 States have requested and have been granted some type of waiver 
from the 3-month time limit. This enabled unemployed adults to continue 
to look for a job in a tough job market without going hungry.
  Mr. Speaker, our economy continues to improve and unemployment rates 
across the country are falling, but we are not out of the woods yet. 
The most vulnerable among us--those with limited education and skills--
continue to struggle to find work.
  In October 2014, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimated 
there were two unemployed workers for every available position. By that 
measure, even if every available job were filled by an unemployed 
individual, there still would not be enough jobs for everyone who 
needed one.
  When the current 3-month time limit waivers expire, the problem is 
that most States offer few, if any, job training programs. They aren't 
required to do so. And in States that do offer work programs, the 
number of individuals who need them far outnumbers the available slots. 
Come 2016, an unemployed adult actively looking for work, no matter how 
many job postings they respond to or how many resumes they send out, 
will arbitrarily be cut off from receiving food benefits through no 
fault of their own.
  The 3-month time limit as it is drafted is a severe penalty that 
hurts an already vulnerable population. According to USDA data, those 
who would be affected have an average monthly income of only 19 percent 
of the poverty line. They often do not qualify for any other types of 
assistance.
  Mr. Speaker, it is unconscionable that 1 million of the poorest 
Americans would be cut off from food benefits because their State does 
not offer job training programs or does not have the capacity to meet 
the demand for those who need help improving their skills. These 
individuals would be left on their own at an already difficult time. 
They may be forced to choose between food and rent or other 
necessities.
  Mr. Speaker, we need to adequately fund our job training programs, 
which this Congress has consistently failed to do, and we need to 
ensure that unemployed adults who are diligently searching for a job do 
not go hungry while they look for work.
  I am concerned--deeply concerned--about reports that Republican 
leaders want to launch yet another assault against SNAP. They want to 
cut the program even more. That would be a mistake and a disservice to 
one of the most efficiently and effectively run Federal programs. Even 
more important, it would be a disservice to so many of our citizens who 
are struggling in poverty.
  Mr. Speaker, I am also concerned about a Republican majority that is 
more interested in adhering to a political sound bite than in pursuing 
sound policy. Let's focus on ending hunger and ending poverty. Let's 
bring to an end the nasty, cruel, and negative rhetoric that has been 
used to demagogue SNAP and those who rely on the benefit that was so 
evident in the last Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, it is tough to be poor in America. It is hard work. We 
in Congress should be part of the solution, not part of the problem. We 
can do better. We can and we should do more to end hunger now.

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