Providing for Further Consideration of H.R. 1947, Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Managment Act of 2013
Floor Speech
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Ms. MOORE. I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for yielding me these couple of minutes.
I would hope that we would listen to the point of order that's been raised by Mr. McGovern. For one thing, this bill criminalizes poverty. People with felony records won't be allowed to get food stamps. There will be work requirements in order to get food stamps.
These kinds of amendments and additions that we're going to see in this bill really add to the fallacious arguments that we have heard about the gargantuan cuts that are made to the SNAP program: that SNAP is run inefficiently, that these cuts won't hurt anyone, that these cuts don't serve the most vulnerable.
Let me just reiterate the facts:
SNAP is effectively targeted at our most vulnerable populations, primarily serving children, seniors, and the disabled in the poorest communities, people who cannot work, people who don't have felony records;
In my own State of Wisconsin, 47.2 percent of SNAP households include children, 15.4 percent include the very elderly, 21.7 percent include a disabled person. 84.3 percent of those receiving SNAP in my State are children, elderly, and disabled;
Nationwide, 76 percent of SNAP households are composed of those who are children, seniors, or disabled persons;
There is a rate of 68.7 percent of SNAP households that have a gross income at or below 100 percent of the poverty level.
Let me just say going forward that as soon as this bill is enacted, as soon as we take away the categorical eligibility, 200,000 children will lose free lunch.
I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his leadership.
I rise in opposition to H.R. 1947. Why?
850,000 needy households would see their SNAP benefits cut by an average $90 per month. That's real food that these families will no longer afford to be able to put on the table. Last time I checked, the prices at the grocery store were not going down and wages were not going up!
2 million individuals would lose their eligibility entirely.
And just in time for the new school year in the fall, 200,000 low-income kids who are eligible and are currently enrolled in the school meals programs will be disenrolled because of the changes in this bill.
These are kids who we designed and create the school meals program to serve. And we are tossing them out for what reason ..... Mr. Speaker this just doesn't make sense.
The bill would also cut funding for nutrition education that helps SNAP households maximize the value of the meager SNAP benefit by teaching them how to shop and cook nutritious food on a budget.
The average SNAP benefit in Wisconsin is just $1.29 per person per meal, hardly enough to afford a nutritious diet.
This all comes on top of the reduction in SNAP benefits that all SNAP households will experience later this year when the ARRA increase expires.
On November 1, the average family of 3 on SNAP will lose $20-25 in monthly benefits.
That may not sound like much to you, but that's the equivalent of a gallon of low-fat milk $3.79, a box of corn flakes $2.99, and a half dozen bananas $1.80; a loaf of wheat bread $1.79 and some deli ham $2.49; and a box of spaghetti $1.00, sauce $2.89, and some ground beef $6.99 total $23.74.' In other words, that's several days' worth of food for a struggling family.
There is a myth going on that these changes will not really hurt people or that those being dislodged aren't low-income, do not have real and significant food needs that are not being met, and will be easily able to make up any gaps in access to food created by these changes as if they have secret Swiss bank accounts available.
Listen to the stories from my district .....
How ridiculous. The people on SNAP are the poorest, most vulnerable, (kids, seniors, disabled).
My colleagues seem to be astonished about why in a middle of the Great recession SNAP rolls would have grown. Why, when food insecurity in our country is at record highs, we should see a surge in Americans seeking the safety net protections of this program.
Food insecurity is high. Nationally 50 million Americans live in households that struggle to put food on the table. In Wisconsin, there are 744,410 food insecure individuals, including 270,150 children.
An Institute of Medicine report released earlier this year found that the SNAP allotment is inadequate to improve food security and access to a nutritious diet and needs to be updated
Many Americans remain out of work. Those who are lucky enough to be back at work may be working for lower wages than before the recession.
SNAP is effectively targeted at our most vulnerable, primarily serving children, seniors, and the disabled in the poorest households. In Wisconsin, 47.2 percent of SNAP households include children, 15.4 percent include elderly, and 21.7 percent include a disabled person. Nationally, 76 percent of SNAP households included a child, senior, or disabled person.
I hear a lot about making sure SNAP goes to those who ``truly need it.'' Perhaps we need a reminder about just how poor SNAP participants really are. In Wisconsin, 68.7 percent of SNAP households have gross income at or below 100 percent of the poverty line $19,530 for family of 3 in 2013.
I will remind you that federal law sets a maximum for gross income of 130 percent of the federal poverty line. seven out of ten in the Wisconsin fall well below that threshold and I know the story is the same throughout our country.
The families on SNAP are in real need. No wonder that 90 percent of SNAP benefits are used by the 21st day of the month.
This myth that SNAP benefits are not going to those in need is dead wrong and dangerous.
Cuts to SNAP would only increase demand on already over-strapped charitable food providers. An increase in TEFAP commodities as provided in the bill is critical to our nation's food banks and hunger-relief charities but it won't come close to meeting the needs created by the SNAP cuts in the bill.
A need that even these generous and kind hearted groups know they cannot come close to meeting. No wonder they almost unanimously oppose the SNAP cuts in this bill.
Charity groups alone cannot feed everyone who's hungry.
Food benefits provided by charity groups in 2011 totaled approximately $4.1 billion according to Bread for the world.
These groups supplement the work that the federal government is doing to combat hunger. They cannot replace it but the bill would throw millions more of hungry families their way nonetheless.
The Harford Institute for Religion and Research estimates that there are 350,000 religious congregations in the U.S. and each would have to spend approximately $50,000 every year for the next ten years to feed those who would lose benefits or face reduced benefits under the Republican Budget Resolution approved in the House last year.
As the recession took hold in our country, SNAP was not the only safety net that stood in the gap to help combat growing hunger across America. Our nation's food banks also saw a 46 percent increase in clients served during the recession. Those needs have not abated and will only get worse if this Farm bill passes in its current form.
I urge my colleagues to oppose this unbalanced bill which seems to provides a safety net for everyone else but the most vulnerable and hungry in our country.
PERSONAL SNAP STORIES FROM THE DISTRICT
Name Age
Earline 63 It allows me to eat on a fixed income That I won't be able to eat nutritious meals
Michelle 36 So I can feed my family We won't eat!
Moria 26 My income is not enough to support my children with food I would not have the proper funds to provide food for my children
Debbie 33 Because it is hard to buy food. I don't get enough cash to buy food
Leiela Don't have enough money to pay rent and food.
Jesele 18 Don't have enough money to pay for food for me and my son We don't eat.
Babette 50 We are a one income family! Just my social security. Without FoodShare me and my family would die. I already can't afford my household bills if I had to pay all the bills and food I would be out--lights, gas, toiletries If FoodShare is cut, I might as well die. I would not be able to feed my family, and that would make me feel useless and less than human; down right degrading.
Jessica 25 It helps me provide for my children. I have 7 children and even though I work 2 jobs I still need assistance with food and other bills It would make it harder on me as a single mother, not only will I have to worry about food, but then shelter for my children and more hours at work and that's more time I'm not able to spend with them.
Solomon 20 Some people are less fortunate and need the benefits people like me would starve on the streets
Temera 18 It is important to me because I'm homeless and this is the ONLY thing that feeds me and gets me by I would be homeless and hungry with NO type of help.
Felicia 38 It's a lot of people out here that does work and they don't make enough to buy food. They need food stamps It will be a lot of children without food to eat, I work, but I can't even get any stamps.
Anchea 27 Because at times like this when my hours are being cut I might only make enough for my child to eat and just supply a roof over her head A lot because it is very important to the community we all live in.
Rayshanda 21 That is how I provide my groceries and my job money is for bills That I would have to pay rent and light bills so all my personal money would be gone. I need stamps--how would we eat?
Brooks 43 Because FoodShare allows me to provide nutritional food for my children, instead of junkfood Taking away nutritional food items, such as fruits and vegetables that would be otherwise easily obtainable.
Katie 27 I am able to feed my children. I am using this program as a stepping stone to where I want to be. I just graduated college and am looking for a full time job to where I can actually provide for my children on my own My children and I would not be able to eat healthily. With our SNAP we eat very healthy and without it would mean having to cut back and buy cheap processed fatty foods.
Khinh 20 FoodShare is important to me because it is enough for me to take care of my kid. I am having twins and the income I make is not enough for me to take care of them It's not going to be enough for me to take care of my kid. And I just make a little bit of income every month.
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Ella is 57 and has been sick for a while. Her doctor put her on a strict diet of Ensure, her limited income and medical bills make it extremely hard for her to afford the drink. She applied for FoodShare and was able to buy what she needed to stay healthy.
Harry--retired lawyer who's practice went under during the recession. He is too young for Social Security benefits and his disability ran out. His $200 worth of FoodShare has helped him greatly.
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