The “Farm Bill” is generally known as the biggest safety net for millions of farmers across the country. But it also includes the Supplemental Nutrition Program — known as SNAP or “food stamps”. Last year, 40 million people used the program, totaling about $70 billion in spending.
Republicans and Trump want strict work requirements for people who receive those benefits, a plan all Democrats reject. That left House leaders searching for conservative votes.
The GOP rebellion Friday came from two groups, fiscal conservatives opposed to the high level of government spending in the farm bill and a group of more than two-dozen representatives who threatened earlier this week to block the farm bill until they were guaranteed a vote on immigration and border security.
The Congressional Black Caucus claimed the work requirements would “ensure that more Americans go hungry,” claiming the GOP changes to SNAP would result in 2 million people losing access to food stamps.
Eve Krief is a Suffolk county activist and she points out that Lee Zeldin should be held accountable for voting for the failed bill. It would have
HURT 15,621 HUNGRY HOUSEHOLDS IN HIS DISTRICT!!
Look at the following table under the heading SNAP (Food Stamps)
- 15,621 SNAP households
- 5,740 SNAP Households with children
- 8,079 SNAP households with elderly
- 67% SNAP households (2 or more people) who worked in 2015
This legislation was defeated. But we were clearly lucky to have benefited from a rebellion within the Republican ranks. The issue may resurface.
Single mothers with newborn babies, and no income, are at the highest risk!
Lee Zeldin’s inhumane vote is here to stay. Let’s remind him in November.
R&R - Reachout and Rebuild 