Today, the House Appropriations Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration Subcommittee and House Agriculture Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture Subcommittee held a joint oversight hearing on severe food distribution shortages in Tribal and elderly communities.
House Agriculture Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture Subcommittee Chairman Brad Finstad (R-MN) said, “More than 770,000 individuals who rely on both USDA’s Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations and Commodity Supplemental Food Program were put in an avoidable but devastating situation by unelected D.C. bureaucrats who decided they knew better than the communities themselves. What’s worse is that this avoidable, devastating situation happened under Secretary Vilsack’s first go-around at the helm. While 2014 was not as egregious, one would certainly think the same mistake would not be made twice… I am appalled at the level of ongoing incompetence by the Department under its current leadership… This incompetence cost individuals access to food, and increased the expenditure to the American taxpayer by more than $45 million through use of the Commodity Credit Corporation.”
Full remarks, as prepared for delivery, are available here.
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration Subcommittee Chairman Andy Harris (R-MD) said, “This is a tragic situation that has been inflicted upon our Nation’s tribes and elderly communities by the Biden-Harris USDA. As is typical for this Administration when they create a catastrophe that could have been avoided, no one is held accountable, and no one takes ownership for the egregious mistakes… We are frustrated that [Tribal communities] have been needlessly subjected to food shortages, expired food, delivery delays, and cancellations. We commend all of you for your leadership and determination to help FDPIR and CSFP participants, going above and beyond to provide food to vulnerable members of your Tribal communities.”
Full remarks, as prepared for delivery, are available here.
House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) said, “I sit at this dais in my role as Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, but my voice echoes with those at the table before us. As a proud member of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma, I am resolute in my commitment to ensuring Tribes across our nation are heard, and we are here today making certain that happens… For months, people have been left without the food and resources they rely on. Missed and delayed deliveries, empty shelves, and bare warehouses have become commonplace. These are all dire consequences at the result of decisions made by the USDA, which have left communities hungry. Further, the department has neglected to implement a permanent fix or establish a timeline for effective operations to resume. The short-term solutions proposed by the USDA are not sufficient and put additional burdens on tribes. I’m extremely disturbed by these failures, which as we have learned were clearly preventable.”
Full remarks, as prepared for delivery, are available here.
