Providing for Consideration of H.R. 687, Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act of 2013; Providing for Consideration of H.R. 1526, Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act; Providing for Consideration of H.R. 3102, Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act of 2013; and for Other Purproses

Floor Speech

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Ms. KAPTUR. I thank the gentleman for yielding and rise in opposition to the rule, and say I will be so proud to vote today not to take food away from children and veterans and the disabled and the unemployed. Over half of these who receive these benefits are young children and senior citizens. So this is one of those legislative moments of true clarity between the leadership of both parties.

The Republican leadership's proposal will increase hunger across our country by taking away SNAP benefits from millions of Americans. They claim that restricting SNAP eligibility will encourage those who are receiving benefits to take work. What this fails to recognize is that there are about three unemployed workers for every job that is out there in our country right now. In some places, it's even worse than that. Even if an unemployed person filled every available job, roughly two of every three unemployed individuals would still not have a job because there aren't enough yet to go around in our country. People are struggling.

I just want to say that this is one of those moments when I am so proud to be a Democrat and stand with my colleagues today against these cuts to the most fundamental requirements of a decent life--access to sufficient, nutritious food.

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