Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019

Floor Speech

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Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge Congress to pass this bill, which would fund agricultural and nutrition programs that are vital to our Nation's farmers and well-being. I also rise to ask that my colleagues refrain from turning millions of hardworking SNAP recipients into pawns in a shutdown fight over a feckless border wall.

While the President continues to insist on shutting down key agencies like the USDA, our Nation's farmers are facing uncertainty. Every month, USDA releases the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report, which provides important information about the size of crop harvests. However, due to the shutdown, the USDA is unable to send out this highly anticipated report, casting doubt on the agricultural commodities markets.

Even worse, the shutdown has forced USDA to stop providing assistance to the thousands of farmers feeling intense pressure from President Trump's ridiculous trade war. Agriculture is the number two economic driver of Florida's economy.

This shutdown could also potentially affect our public health. The FDA cannot accept any new regulatory submissions during the shutdown. This means that food and drug manufacturers can't provide documentation to the agency to verify compliance with safety regulations.

The FDA has also been forced to cut back inspections of food processing facilities, putting public health at risk. Essential inspectors are working without pay. The FDA sets targets for inspections, and the shutdown will prevent the agency from meeting those targets.

Finally, we must pass this bill to avoid potentially disastrous effects on Americans suffering from food insecurity. SNAP, also known as food stamps, is a crucial program that helps these Americans put food on the table, but SNAP is estimated to have only enough funding to last until February. After that, Federal law requires USDA to ration any available funding among SNAP recipients.

If President Trump continues to refuse to reopen the government, almost 3.7 million people in Florida may lose the assistance that helps feed their families. That would be a shameful situation for the wealthiest nation on Earth.

The longer the shutdown goes on, the bigger the impact will be on our Nation's food safety and health. I urge my colleagues to vote for this bill because people's livelihoods and well-being are on the line.

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