Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013

Floor Speech

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Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of the McGovern amendment, which I am proud to cosponsor, and I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for his leadership on this issue of vital importance to my constituents and to struggling families across the country.

It has been nearly six months since we voted on an eight month Farm Bill extension, and in that time I have spoken with people across Oregon's First Congressional District about their priorities. In those conversations, three central goals emerged for reauthorization. Provide certainty to the agriculture community through a five year extension, support specialty crop producers in Oregon, and fully fund the nutrition programs that provide a safety net for our friends and neighbors who are still trying to bounce back from the hard times of the latest economic recession.

The bill before us today accomplishes two of these goals, but on the third, it falls absolutely flat. To remove more than $20 billion from the SNAP program at a time when economic conditions mean that even more families are becoming eligible, is irresponsible and unfair.

Our economy continues to recover, but millions of American children and families remain in poverty. According to the Oregon Food Bank, the SNAP cuts in this year's farm bill will cause about 90,000 Oregonians to lose the assistance they rely on to put food on the table. If we're really concerned about the cost of this program, we should focus addressing the root cause. Let's cut poverty, not nutrition assistance.

For this reason I have joined the gentleman from Massachussetts, Mr. McGovern, in cosponsoring this amendment that will restore funding for the SNAP program in the bill. I urge compassion for those families who are still struggling and ask that my colleagues vote in favor of the amendment.

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