Congressman Tim Ryan Statement on Farm Bill
Statement
Congressman Tim Ryan issued the following statement on H.R. 2642, The Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management (FARRM), which barely passed the House of Representatives today on a party-line vote:
"The Farm Bill has received bipartisan support for decades and the fact that the Republicans who control the House of Representatives are unable to pass a cohesive, bipartisan version is not only embarrassing and disheartening but also illustrates just how dysfunctional this Republican-led Congress has become. With this Republican leadership, we have reached a new low when we cannot even come to an agreement on how to act in the interest of our farmers and those afflicted by hunger in this country. What are we accomplishing by putting so much energy into a bill that will certainly fail in the Senate? It is instances like this that put the poor leadership of the majority party and the resulting gridlock on display for the world to see."
Splitting off provisions of the Farm Bill such as the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), which helps feed hungry families across America, accomplishes nothing more than the abandonment of the interests of those most in need of our help. Republicans have referred to these provisions as "extraneous" and in doing so have turned their backs on American families that depend on food and nutrition programs. Seventy-five percent of families receiving benefits include children as well as elderly and disabled people."
Instead of having an adult discussion about how imperative it is to reevaluate our food policies so that they address the growing health needs of our country, we have defaulted back to the destructive politics that have engulfed our Capitol for too many years. All the while, our nation's health, with unsustainable rates of obesity, will suffer because of it. We need to support good health and sustainable agriculture--and this bill fails to do that. This cannot be about partisanship. Congress must first see to the needs of the American people and not disregard this responsibility."
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