[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 81 (Thursday, May 17, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E678]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. DWIGHT EVANS

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 16, 2018

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2) to 
     provide for the reform and continuation of agricultural and 
     other programs of the Department of Agriculture through 
     fiscal year 2023, and for other purposes:

  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 2, the 
Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018. When Ranking Member Peterson, 
who has done four Farm Bills and is one of the most moderate in our 
Caucus, is upset with the process and the result, it tells you that the 
well has been poisoned. But let me tell you a little about me and why I 
chose to be on the Agriculture Committee.
  I came from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania where I was proud to 
serve as Chairman of the state legislature's Appropriations Committee 
for twenty years.
  There, I was able to secure billions of dollars for state programs 
that addressed urban and rural needs, roads and bridges, schools, the 
first Healthy Food Financing Initiative, and most importantly, many, 
many Agriculture programs around the entire state of Pennsylvania.
  We should be in the business of first doing no harm, but here we are 
trying to pass off the Farm Bill as bipartisan, when in fact, this is 
an assault on the working poor, the disadvantaged, seniors, and 
veterans.
  Mr. Speaker, in Pennsylvania that would translate to an additional 
199,000 individuals between the ages of 50 to 59 who would face cuts to 
their SNAP benefits. It is more difficult for older individuals to find 
work when unemployed and many people want to work more than 25 hours, 
but simply cannot due to lack of available hours, children, or age.
  Almost 2 million Pennsylvanians benefit from the SNAP, with over 
215,000 in my District alone, and with the majority of benefits going 
to those in great need. This bill before us is unworkable for 
Philadelphia. It fails them, the process fails them, and for that I 
give this bill an F.

                          ____________________