Schakowsky Statement on the Republican Farm Bill
Today, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, a member of the House Hunger Caucus and Democratic Whip's Task Force on Poverty, Income Inequality, and Opportunity, released the following statement on the Republican H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act or "Farm Bill" of 2018, which the House is expected to vote on this week.
"This bill is a blatant, senseless attack on millions of American families. Republicans are attempting to cut $23 billion from SNAP– the country's most effective program in fighting hunger and tackling poverty. These drastic cuts are unacceptable and their consequences are dire. Did my Republican colleagues really come to Congress to take food out of the mouths of hungry children and seniors?
"In 2017, nearly 41 million people relied on SNAP to get access to nutritious food. The average SNAP recipient receives $126 per month, which is about $1.40 per meal. We should be finding ways to strengthen hunger prevention programs in America, not ripping them apart.
"In addition to its massive cuts to the SNAP program, this Farm Bill also proposes harsh, ineffective work requirements for SNAP recipients. This completely ignores the reality of SNAP recipients – 68% of whom are not required to work because they are children, seniors or people with disabilities. Of the rest, more than 80 percent already work in the years before and after receiving benefits. The Republicans' move to implement stricter work requirements will only push families deeper into poverty and increase food insecurity. According to the Congressional Budget Office, this Republican Farm Bill would mean that nearly 400,000 households will lose benefits and 265,000 children will lose access to free school meals every year.
"This bill is a cruel attempt to help Republicans pay for their $2 trillion tax scam on the backs of Americans struggling to get out of poverty. I will not sit idle while Republicans attempt to take the food out of hungry children and seniors. I will oppose this bill at every turn."