House Rejection of Farm Bill Prompts Reactions across the Political Spectrum
Last week, the U.S. of House of Representatives rejected its version of the farm bill, which called for more than $20 billion in cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The bill, which would have eliminated food assistance to nearly 2 million low-income people, also included new asset limits and work requirements for SNAP recipients.
The bill faced bipartisan opposition for a variety of reasons. House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.), who voted against the bill because it did not include enough cuts to SNAP, argued that “it was a missed opportunity to reform a lot of government programs that are bloated.” On the other side of the aisle, Representative Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) argued that the proposed cuts were too deep and that “the price of a farm bill should not be making more people hungry in America or criminalizing people who need help.”
Organizations nationwide applauded the House vote, arguing that if passed the bill would have increased hardship for Americans already struggling to put food on the table. “The House farm bill۪s defeat is a victory for kids. Yes, the federal government has budget problems, but hungry kids didn۪t cause them, and cutting anti-hunger investments is the wrong way to solve them,” said Bruce Lesley, president of First Focus Campaign for Children. Out of the Spotlight has compiled several responses from leading anti-hunger advocates, policymakers and opinion writers on the bipartisan opposition to the House bill:
News and Opinion
· MSNBC
· POLITICO
Advocate Responses
· Bread for the World Institute
· Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
· Food Research and Action Center
Posted by Tamanna
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