[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 19722]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            MODERNIZING SNAP

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Conaway) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CONAWAY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss an issue that is 
receiving a lot of attention both in the media and in the House 
Agriculture Committee, and that is our Nation's largest anti-hunger 
problem, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.
  As we approach the upcoming farm bill, I would offer a brief 
perspective, something that I have been keeping in the front of my mind 
throughout all of these conversations.
  Mr. Speaker, SNAP is about families that are living paycheck to 
paycheck here in our Nation. It is about helping households across this 
country, not so much worry about where the next meal is coming from, 
but letting them worry more about their children's education, their own 
work, and, quite frankly, their own future. It is about helping every 
citizen realize the American Dream by modernizing a program that helps 
lift folks out of poverty, rather than trapping them there.
  Mr. Speaker, this will not be easy. There will be people who demonize 
our efforts. Some will even criticize the process. We will have those 
who paint doomsday scenarios about what we are trying to get done. Some 
will say it is too much, too soon, and too fast.
  Mr. Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth. Our committee 
has spent 3 years examining every aspect of this program. We have heard 
from citizens across this Nation who have been helped by SNAP, and we 
identified modest improvements that we believe will better serve those 
in greatest need.
  Mr. Speaker, we must get this policy right. As I said, we must get 
this policy right.
  I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, that these reforms are about maintaining 
the American value of generosity, a generosity that says no American 
should go to bed hungry each night. But, Mr. Speaker, it also 
strengthens that great American tradition of self-efficiency that 
compels us to work to improve our own stations in life.
  By doing this, by modernizing SNAP, by making these changes that 
incentivize work, encouraging collaboration, and promote and improve 
access, we will be ensuring better nutrition for our American families. 
And, as budgets tighten in our country and across this government, we 
will be preserving a program that must be preserved for future 
generations.

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