Senate Agriculture Committee Votes Out Farm Bill - Possible floor debate to begin this Thursday!
House Agriculture Committee Markup Scheduled forWednesday!
As you know, it's a busy week in Washington: The Senate Agriculture Committee held its Farm Bill markup - and voted out the bill on Tuesday.
The House Agriculture Committee is scheduled to mark up its Farm Bill on Wednesday. Below is our call to action you can take between now and Thursday - and a summary from our friends at FRAC of the Senate markup.
Action Needed: Call your Members of Congress and urge them support and protect SNAP in the Farm Bill.
Contact your Senators and urge them to:
- Co-sponsor Sen. Gillibrand's amendment to restore the $4.1 billion SNAP cut. Current cosponsors include: Cowan (D-MA), Lautenberg (D-NJ), Reed (D-RI) and Whitehouse (D-RI)
- Vote 'YES' on Sen. Gillibrand's amendment when it comes up for a vote on the Senate floor.
- Speak out, oppose and vote 'NO' on any damaging amendments to SNAP
Contact your Representatives and urge them to:
- Co-sponsor Rep. McGovern's amendment to restore the over $20 billion/10 years SNAP cut contained in Chairman Lucas's Farm Bill. Current co-sponsors include: DelBene (WA), McCleod (CA), Vargas (CA), Courtney (CT), Scott (GA), Enyart (IL), Nolan (MN), Kuster (NH), Lujan Grisham (NM), Fudge (OH), Gallego (TX), Vela (TX)
- Vote 'YES' on Rep. McGovern's amendment when it comes up to a vote (in markup and/or on the House floor).
- Speak out, oppose and vote 'NO' on any damaging amendments to SNAP (in markup and/or on the House floor).
- Co-sponsor House Resolution 90, a Resolution opposing cuts to SNAP. Ask them to contact Keith Stern in Rep. McGovern's office, keith.stern@mail.house.gov, to co-sponsor.
Senate Agriculture Committee Markup
Today, the Senate Agriculture Committee, by a vote of 15 to 5, passed its farm bill, containing a ten year SNAP cut of $4 billion ("Heat and Eat" cut). Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) voted no because of the SNAP cut. Others voting against bill passage but for different reasons were Senators Mike Johanns (R-NE), Pat Roberts (R-KS), John Thune (R-SD), and Mitch McConnell (R-KY). The bill could go to the Senate floor as early as this Thursday, May 16th.
Senate SNAP Amendment Highlights:
Senator Gillibrand (D-NY) offered and withdrew her 'Restore SNAP Cuts' amendment with the intent to offer it on the Senate floor. During discussion of the Gillibrand amendment Sen. Mo Cowan (D-MA) spoke out in support of SNAP, explaining that he had heard concerns about SNAP cuts from many of his constituents and that he had personal concerns given his family's need for public assistance at times earlier in his life. Sen. Johanns' (R-NE) amendment to restrict Categorical Eligibility ("Cat El") was defeated by voice vote. Ranking Member Thad Cochran (R-MS) urged members to vote 'no' on the Johanns Cat El amendment, noting that it would eliminate SNAP benefits for 1.8 million individuals and undermine free school meal access for 280,000 children. Sen. Thune's amendment to cut SNAP Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Grants failed by a vote of 8-12 (all Committee Democrats and Sen. Cochran voted against). Also defeated on a voice vote was Sen. Thune's amendment to cut back on high jobless area waivers that ease the time limit on SNAP benefit receipt for certain jobless adults without dependents seeking work.
Summary of Amendments
Gillibrand 2 - Restores $4.1 billion/10 years SNAP cuts; offset in crop insurance (offered and withdrawn, noted intent to offer on floor)
Brown 2 - Increases funding to SNAP Employment and Training, TEFAP, Community Food Projects (offered and withdrawn)
Johanns 2 - Restricts Cat-El to TANF cash-only (defeated on voice vote)
Thune 4 - Caps SNAP Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Grants at $5/person, $2 billion/10 years cut (defeated on roll call vote, 8-12)
Thune 9 - Restricts eligibility to certain jobless, childless adults without dependents (Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents, or "ABAWDs") (defeated by voice vote)
Roberts 5 - Eliminates 'Heat and Eat', restricts Cat-El to TANF cash-only, eliminates Employment and Training funding, eliminates state bonus performance payments, and terminates ARRA boost (offered and withdrawn)
Roberts 6 - Eliminates 'Heat and Eat' (Noted intent to offer on floor)
Roberts 7 - Eliminates Employment and Training (Noted intent to offer on floor)
House Agriculture Committee Markup
On Wednesday, the House Agriculture Committee will mark up its Farm Bill at 10am ET. Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK) released his "mark" last week that includes over $20 billion/10 years in SNAP cuts ('Heat and Eat', Cat-El, State bonus performance payments and SNAP-Ed cuts ).
You can follow FRAC's live tweeting during the mark up: @fractweets.
Thanks so much for raising your voice to all those who need to hear it!
Claire
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