Working to Help American Families Put Food on the Table

Statement

Dear Friend,

In Congress, I am proud to serve on the House Agriculture Committee. As Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Horticulture, my top priority is to create positive partnerships between the agriculture industry and the American public in order to improve nutrition in America and encourage healthier lifestyles, particularly among our nation's children.

I played a significant role in authoring the nutrition title of the 2008 Farm Bill, which expanded nutrition benefits for over 13 million American families, helping to put food on the table for 47 million people going hungry. In the current 112th Congress, the Nutrition and Horticulture Subcommittee has remained active on exploring ways to expand access and eligibility to federal nutrition programs like SNAP (the food stamp program), TEFAP (food banks), WIC and the school lunch program.

Unfortunately, the Farm Bill reauthorization that was passed out of the House Agriculture Committee this July cuts $16.5 billion from the SNAP program over the next decade, eliminating food assistance to 2 to 3 million low-income people, mostly low-income working families with children and seniors. I voted against this misguided legislation in the Agriculture Committee, and the bill has yet to come for a vote of final passage before the full House of Representatives. Know that moving forward, I am committed to working with my colleagues to fully restore federal funding for vital nutrition assistance programs.

Sincerely,

JOE BACA, Congressman

43rd Congressional District

Source