[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9591]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                  SNAP

  (Mr. VEASEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak against the cuts to 
the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in the FARRM Bill on this 
Juneteenth 2013.
  As the Nation's most important antihunger program, SNAP offers 
nutrition assistance to 46 million low-income Americans and provides 
economic benefits to communities. SNAP also allows families to more 
easily set aside a portion of their resources for food and to 
prioritize a healthier, more consistent diet without compromising on 
obligations such as rent, utilities, and transportation.
  The proposed FARRM Bill would cut $20.5 billion from the SNAP program 
and leave over 66,000 Texans without any assistance. We cannot allow 
the budget to be balanced on the backs of the poor and the most 
vulnerable in our country.
  I did the SNAP challenge. I lived on $4.50 for 1 day, and I can tell 
you that is not easy, especially if you're trying to eat healthy. We 
need to find ways to fund federally funded nutrition incentive programs 
that will help hardworking taxpayers save money on health care costs in 
this country.
  For many Americans, SNAP is the only form of income assistance they 
receive. I join my colleagues in supporting the McGovern amendment, 
which eliminates the draconian cuts to ensure that 46 million people 
who rely on this program will have food on their dinner table each 
night.

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