[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 11728]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 DON'T PLAY POLITICS WITH FOOD SUPPORT

  (Mr. BUTTERFIELD asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I am still hurting from the farm bill 
debate last week. I was looking forward to a bipartisan compromise on 
farm programs as well as nutrition programs. But as we all know, the 
Republicans removed the food title from the farm bill and narrowly 
passed it on a vote of 216-208. I am proud that not a single Democrat 
voted for this ill-conceived bill denying food support for food banks 
and millions of Americans.
  The House farm bill was passed. I now urge House conferees to meet 
with Senate conferees and reauthorize the farm bill with nutrition 
before the August recess.
  I am beginning to hear rumors that the Republican leadership may be 
considering a stand-alone rewrite of the food stamp program to cut 
nutrition by $135 billion. I hope that's a rumor and not fact. If it's 
a fact, many of us will speak as loudly as we have ever spoken before 
on this floor.
  Please let the conference committee meet and resolve the difference 
between the House and Senate. Don't play politics with food support for 
low-income American citizens.

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