Today, House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member David Scott (D-GA-13) led Agriculture Committee Democrats in a letter to Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA-20), signed by every Democratic Member of the Committee, regarding continued proposals by members of the House Republican leadership to take food away from hungry Americans by weakening SNAP, the nation’s most effective anti-hunger program.
“You have seen what happens when leadership gets involved in dictating the details of the farm bill, particularly when the issue involved is SNAP, the safety net for America’s working poor and elderly,” the lawmakers wrote. The letter writers continued, cautioning: “The failures of the 2014 and 2018 House versions of the farm bill their first time up for consideration caused a great deal of anxiety in rural America. That should be enough of a reminder to you that playing partisan SNAP politics does nothing to address the needs of our farm and ranch families who depend on the other components of the farm bill, whether it’s the farm safety net, conservation, trade or other titles.”
Read the full letter here.
The Democratic Members of the House Agriculture Committee who joined Ranking Member Scott as signatories of the letter are: Representatives Jim Costa (D-CA-21), James P. McGovern (D-MA-02), Dr. Alma S. Adams (D-NC-12), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07), Jahana Hayes (D-CT-05), Shontel Brown (D-OH-12), Sharice L. Davids (D-KS-03), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI-08), Dr. Yadira Caraveo (D-CO-08), Andrea Salinas (D-OR-06), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA-03), Donald G. Davis (D-NC-01), Jill Tokuda (D-HI-02), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17), Gabe Vasquez (D-NM-02), Jasmine Crockett (D-TX-30), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL-01), Greg Casar (D-TX-35), Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01), Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24), Angie Craig (D-MN-02), Darren Soto (D-FL-09), and Sanford Bishop (D-GA-02).
The letter follows a statement delivered by Ranking Member Scott to Republican leaders last week that read in part: “House Democrats stand united to protect America’s food supply and reduce food insecurity… Republican attacks on our most successful anti-hunger program imperil America’s food security, hungry families, and the farm bill.”
