House Passes Harmful FY2012 Agriculture Appropriations Bill

Background:
On June 16, the House passed its FY2012 Agriculture Appropriations spending bill, H.R. 2112, by a vote of 217 to 203, concluding three days of unusually contentious debate triggered by the radical and destructive provisions in the bill. The bill’s overall allocation for FY2012 ($17.250 billion) is $5 billion (23%) below the President’s FY2012 request and approximately $3 billion (14%) below FY2011 levels. The bill includes cuts to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program. The bill’s accompanying Committee Report (pdf) tries to inflict additional harm.


Details on FY2012 House Agriculture Appropriations bill:
Note: These figures do not reflect an additional 78/100 of 1 (one) percent across-the-board cut that was included in an amendment that was attached to the bill. Check the FRAC website for final House-passed funding levels.

* Funds WIC at $6.048 billion. This figure includes $147 million provided by Rep. Rosa DeLauro’s (D-CT) amendment at full Committee consideration. This additional funding was stripped out on the House floor, and then reinserted by an offset that reduced all accounts in the Ag Approps bill by a 0.78 percent across-the-board cut. Even with the additional $147 million, the program is not expected to serve all those who are eligible. WIC was funded at $6.7 billion in FY2011.
* Funds the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) at $138.5 million, $38 million less than the President’s FY2012 budget request and below the FY2011 level of $176.8 million.
* Caps TEFAP mandatory commodity funding (funding level set in Farm Bill) at $200 million, a $51 million cut from FY2011.
* Funds TEFAP Storage and Distribution (Administration) at $37.5 million, a $12 million cut from FY2011.
* Provides $1.5 million for the Congressional Hunger Center Emerson/Leland Fellows Program (funded in FY2010 at $3 million).
* Cuts $2 billion from the SNAP reserve fund provided in the President’s FY2012 budget, annual funding that is provided in the event that participation is greater than expected. No cuts are made to caseloads or benefit levels, including the remaining benefit boost contained in the ARRA bill, as previously amended.
* Funds WIC Farmers’ Market nutrition program at $20 million (includes $5 million in additional funding provided in a successful House floor amendment).
* McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Programs was funded at $180 million (10% below FY2011 and FY2012).


- Information provided by Food Research and Action Center