[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 63 (Wednesday, April 18, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H3399-H3400]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  CHANGES TO SNAP IN THE NEW FARM BILL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, a major 
responsibility of the farm bill is intended to address the growing 
issue of food insecurity in America. As a matter of fact, roughly one 
out of every six individuals in Dallas County will go to sleep each 
night not knowing where their next meal will come from.
  Hunger is not just a major issue within any one district, but it is 
one that affects Americans in virtually every district in every part of 
the country. It is an important issue. It is one on which Congress 
needs to focus.
  Sadly, the farm bill introduced last week will hurt far more 
Americans than it will help. The proposed changes for the Supplemental 
Nutrition Assistance Program within the farm bill are downright 
draconian. SNAP was intended to help the poor so they can find 
meaningful work on a full stomach. The new proposed work requirements 
would starve individuals who are unable to find sustainable employment 
due to economic, medical, or family-related issues.
  Organizations such as Feeding America and the Food Research & Action 
Center have come out opposing these changes because they would lead to 
an increase in hungry Americans and is counterproductive to solving 
America's hunger problem. It is much harder to climb out of poverty and 
onto a path of independence when you must devote much of your energy in 
wondering where your next meal may come from.
  Instead of throwing people off SNAP, Congress should be focused on 
giving greater access to nutritional meals so that these individuals 
are able to go on living their lives and trying to find employment that 
will get them out of poverty and into the middle class.
  SNAP was intended to assist the working poor to ensure they are able 
to put food on the table for their children. These changes would throw 
many children off the program and subsequently deny access for them to 
get food from school breakfast and lunch programs. The cuts in SNAP 
benefits for these students would force them to face the challenges of 
hunger in addition to the rigors of school.
  Countless studies show that students retain more information when 
their focus is on school in front of them and not on the fear that they 
will go to bed hungry.
  Making certain that the next generation of Americans have every 
opportunity to grow up with a healthy diet and learn on a full stomach 
is not just an investment in the fight against hunger; it is also an 
investment in this country's future.

[[Page H3400]]

  Mr. Speaker, I speak not just for African Americans. The majority of 
the ones who are utilizing this program are non-African American, and 
the majority are Anglo Americans. So Congress should be working 
together to strengthen the program so that it fulfills its original 
goal: ensuring that all Americans, regardless of ethnic origin or 
status, have the dignity of a day's work and a day's worth of food.
  Mr. Speaker, many districts' voices have been muted through the 
intentional gerrymandering so that they don't have to address the 
poorest people.
  Mr. Speaker, it is time for us to address all of the American people.

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