MSNBC "The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell" - Transcript: Interview with Jahana Hayes

Interview

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Joining us now is Democratic Congresswoman Jahana Hayes of Connecticut. She`s chair of the subcommittee which has primary jurisdiction over food assistance benefits. Also with us, Daniel Worthey in Little Rock, Arkansas, who is a current recipient of food assistance benefits and now assists people in applying for those benefits.

And Daniel Worthey, let me begin with you since you`re actually living with this program every day. What does this change mean for you?

DANIEL WORTHEY, RECIPIENT OF FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM: Oh, wow, it means -- it means a lot. For me personally it`s getting those extra items that my daughter really enjoys. She enjoys fruit and she enjoys, you know, certain snacks that kids like. But you know, with the money that I`m getting now, I`m not able to afford that stuff.

O`DONNELL: And Congresswoman Hayes, I`ve heard talk in the Congress for decades recognizing what Daniel was going through before this change is coming, which is that the healthier diet generally costs more. The cheapest ways out of the grocery store were the least healthy ways out of the grocery store. And yet until now nothing`s been done about it.

REP. JAHANA HAYES (D-CT): I am thrilled by this change. I wrote a letter about a week ago with Democrats on the committee to ask that Secretary Vilsack carefully consider the Thrifty Food Plan and really think about how families actually eat.

At the beginning of this pandemic, we saw how many families were food insecure and we did the 15 percent plus up. I didn`t know how we would be able to just survive or families would be able to survive taking that away when they were already living below the poverty level and not receiving the benefit that were necessary for a healthy diet.

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HAYES: So I`m thrilled that that has been reevaluated and adjusted accordingly for the first time I think in almost 60 years.

O`DONNELL: Daniel Worthey, what was it like the first time you went through a grocery store knowing you were going to be using food stamps when it came to checkout and trying to budget when what you were throwing in the cart for what you were going to be able to afford at checkout.

WORTHEY: Well, to be honest with you, I`m with a faith-based recovery center here in Little Rock called M18 Recovery. And what we do, as these guys go through the process we help them get on SNAP benefits. And so that`s something that I have done, jus helping guys get on these benefits.

And for now -- for me to be a co-recipient (ph) myself, it`s a little humbling. I guess being humble is a good thing. But going through the line and everything, being able to get these things that my daughter needs and I need, it`s very beneficial.

O`DONNELL: And Congresswoman Hayes, what other changes would you like to see in the program?

HAYES: Well, in addition to this permanent increase, which I`m very excited about, I would like to see the program moved to rolling benefits.

I`ve heard from many grocers and store owners about how difficult it is to just stock groceries at the beginning of the month and make sure that they have a supply. And I think that that would also remove some of the stigma of recipients only shopping at certain times of the month. So that`s something that I would like to see.

I`m just thrilled listening to Daniel speak. And I`ll just say to you that these programs are temporary. I myself was a SNAP recipient raising my children many years ago. And these are meant to stabilize families until you can stand on your own.

And I`m just happy that you don`t have to worry about your daughter having healthy meals. You know, it`s not just the snacks, it`s those basic nutritional needs that she`s going to need to do well in school, to learn, to thrive.

So I`m just so happy that this committee that we were able to do this. This is a congressionally-mandated program. It is our responsibility to reevaluate it and look at it and make sure that we are meeting the needs of the modern day family.

O`DONNELL: And Daniel, what changes would you like to see in the program?

WORTHEY: Well, like she`s talking about, just an increase would be amazing. Right now as a single parent with a child, I`m getting like $130 a month. And so it`s very difficult to make that money stretch. Well, it`s impossible.

You`re looking at one visit to the grocery store. And so this increase is really just a blessing.

O`DONNELL: Congresswoman Jahana Hayes and Daniel Worthey, thank you both very much for joining us.

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