News about Farm Bill Conferees from today's CQ Roll Call:
"House Agriculture Chairman Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) confirms that the Republican farm bill conferees will include Florida Rep. Steve Southerland as a representative of the GOP leadership. Southerland has been the leading GOP proponent of imposing new work requirements on food stamp recipients, an issue important to Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va)....
House Agriculture's ranking Democrat, Collin Peterson, expressed dismay that Southerland would be part of the conference, saying that suggested the Republican leadership probably would push for deep cuts in nutrition spending. "That's very bad news," Peterson said....
Lucas said the conferees likely wouldn't be officially named until the House deals with the debt ceiling issue."
Getting Geared Up for 2014 Legislative Session in Olympia:
Earlier this week at AHNC's membership meeting, organizations presented legislative proposals to be considered for AHNC's 2014 legislative agenda. The Steering Committee will meet in early November to review final details from each organization; then, as in recent years, all AHNC members will be able to vote online on AHNC's priorities in mid-November in time for legislative Committee Days before Thanksgiving. Here is a quick overview of each of the proposals:
Fully fund State Food Assistance (led by Children's Alliance):
State Food Assistance is Washington's innovative state food stamp program for legal immigrants who cannot receive federal benefits. Benefits for the State Food Assistance Program were cut in half in 2012. As a result of advocacy, benefits were increased in 2013 to 75% of federal benefits. Yet these families still have approximately half of the benefitsneeded to purchase enough food to be food secure. Fully funding SFA will give an estimated 11,900 families $4 per person per day in food benefits, up from the current $2 per day.
Add funding for Emergency Food Assistance Program for food banks(Washington Food Coalition):
Food banks receiving EFAP funds saw a 34% increase in total client visits from 2008 (6.2 million visits) to 2013 (8.3 million visits). As safety net services have been cut, more people now rely on local food banks for assistance and the number of visits per client continues to increase (5.6 visits per year in 2011 to 6.3 in 2013). Despite these increasing strains on food banks, state funds have not increased since 2008.
Serve Breakfast After the Bell in high poverty schools (United Way of King Co.):
School meals are an effective way to get vital nutrition to kids so that they are prepared to succeed in school and life; unfortunately, less than 50% of WA kids enrolled in free/reduced price school meals participate in the School Breakfast Program. This proposal, modeled on other states' successful legislation, would require schools with a high concentration of kids eligible for free and reduced price school meals to serve breakfast after the school day begins.
Restore partial funding for Farmers Market Nutrition Programs for WIC and Seniors (WA State Farmers Market Assoc.):
Since 2011, state funds for WIC FMNP have been cut $300,000 per year, so 15,000 low income moms and young childrenhave lost essential funds to purchase healthy fruits and vegetables from WA farmers. Due to sequestration, over 1,250 low income seniors have lost Senior FMNP benefits, and these cuts come on top of other cuts to supports for seniors and increasing demand from a growing population of elderly. Since 2009, Senior FMNP has been cut by $105,000.
Reform state revenue and taxes to fund critical services (Revenue Coalition):
After years of an all-cuts approach to balancing the state budget, we need to continue tax reforms and revenue options started last session to ensure we have sufficient funds to support critical education and safety net services into the future. Our state needs to reform the tax expenditure system so that tax exemptions are regularly reviewed and have clear accountability requirements. As the most regressive tax system in the country, we also need to take steps to reform our tax structure so it is more equitable and no longer places a disproportionate burden on those who earn the least.
If you have any questions, please get in touch. Thanks for all your hard work on behalf of hungry people across Washington -
best,
Claire
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