[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2222]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                SERVING THE NEEDS OF VETERANS WITH SNAP

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on 
behalf of the veterans that have made incredible sacrifices for our 
country. Our Nation must ensure that they have access to resources that 
they need to be successful in civilian life. This certainly includes 
access to nutritious food.
  Out of the 22 million veterans in the United States, about 1.7 
million are in households that currently participate in the 
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. Approximately 46 
percent of our veterans are senior citizens, including those who served 
in World War II, Korea, or Vietnam.
  Veterans of all ages may also have widely varying levels of 
disabilities or limitations. Veteran advocacy groups are focused on 
obtaining a veteran's earned benefits. Often veterans are not connected 
to SNAP right away and they should be.
  As the Agriculture Committee prepares to reauthorize SNAP, we must 
remain vigilant in our dedication to serve those who have given so much 
in defense of our Nation. SNAP cannot solve all of the challenges a 
veteran faces, but it can be a vital component of serving eligible 
veterans once they return home.

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