Luján Stands Against House Republicans' Cuts to Food Assistance Program

Statement

Congressman Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico's Third District released the following statement today after voting against a House Republican bill that cuts $39 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. He also spoke on the House floor earlier in the week against these drastic cuts.

"Traditionally, passage of a Farm Bill has been bipartisan, uniting Democrats and Republicans in an effort to combat hunger in our country and assist the most vulnerable who are struggling to put food on the table. Sadly, what we have seen from House Republicans on this issue is nothing short of an attempt to appease the Tea Party wing of their party.

"Three months ago, House Republican leaders brought a Farm Bill to the floor that included $20 billion in cuts to vital nutrition programs that help 179,000 households in New Mexico. Their efforts to gut the SNAP program fell short because Tea Party Republicans thought the cuts didn't go far enough.

"I voted against that effort then, and today I stood against even deeper cuts that are damaging to families across our state and children who are at risk of going to bed hungry. With New Mexico leading the nation in childhood hunger and families still struggling in the wake of the recession, we should not be slashing aid that helps feed our children. The severe cuts in this bill will only make the problem worse."

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