THURSDAY, July 11 the House Rules Committee plans a vote that could take SNAP out of the Farm Bill - creating an ag-only bill and a SNAP-only bill out of the current Farm Bill structure. That will just open the door for an onslaught of stand-alone amendments that would dismantle SNAP as we know it.
Though the House Farm Bill - full of draconian measures aimed squarely at the food stamp program - failed at the end of June, the House Republicans are doing all they can to revive the bill. Now their proposal is even worse.
It would disconnect what we are so proud of in Washington State: here, we look at both agriculture and nutrition assistance as part of one food system: no one is going hungry and farming is a thriving way of life.
Here, farmers, anti-hunger advocates, anti-poverty agencies, chefs, communities of faith and more all have an interest in the Farm Bill because we all care about feeding people. Together, we have worked to make Washington a place that fights hard against hunger.
Don't let the House Republicans split up the Farm Bill and break apart our common interests in feeding people. Don't open the door wider for Congress to decimate the most effective anti-hunger program in our country.
The widespread grassroots action against the draconian cuts to food stamps helped defeat the House Farm Bill a few weeks ago. House members added further measures that would have imposed new restrictions on who can get SNAP benefits; work requirements and incentives to states that would have had the perverse outcome of paying states to cut unemployed people off SNAP who were looking for jobs, and other deeply damaging measures.
Looking at those amendments, we are DEEPLY CONCERNED about what could happen to SNAP in a stand-alone bill.
TAKE ACTION:
We are asking for a widespread response RIGHT NOW to stop this proposal in its tracks.
- Call your Representative in Congress IMMEDIATELY. You canlook up his or her contact information here.
(a sample message):
"I live in your district, and I support SNAP. Please oppose any effort to take SNAP out of the Farm Bill, and any stand-alone proposals to cut SNAP benefits or restrict access and eligibility. Too many people are hungry and struggling in our communities."
- Forward this alert NOW to your networks, colleagues and friends. Please ask them to make a call, too.
We were overwhelmed and humbled by your many and quick responses to our alerts in June asking for your voices to Congress --- we still need you! Please act now.
Thank you - Claire
Some current articles on splitting SNAP from agriculture in Farm Bill:
Reuters
Roll Call |
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