Strengthening Rural America and Our Workforce

Statement

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act. Congressman Bill Flores (R-Texas) issued the following statement regarding passage of the bill:

"America's farmers and ranchers continue to provide our nation with food, fiber and fuel. The Agriculture and Nutrition Act, more commonly known as the farm bill, provides the agricultural community with five years of certainty through the renewal of natural disaster risk-management programs, relief from burdensome regulations, improved access to broadband, strengthened trade promotion and sustained investment in research and innovation. This bill is not only important for our producers and growers, but is fundamental for agricultural research institutions like Texas A&M University that conduct significant food security research and extension services to all 254 counties in our state. By strengthening rural America, we can continue to improve our economic growth and opportunity for all hardworking Americans.

"The farm bill also brings important common-sense reforms to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). A vast majority of Americans support work requirements for work-capable adults and this bill builds on that support by including work requirements and free job training resources. Contrary to the scare tactics used to argue against the bill, these work requirements do not apply to parents of small children, to seniors or to the disabled. We can improve the lives of those who have become dependent on SNAP by offering them services to help them get training, find work, earn a paycheck and become independent. The ultimate goal of this policy is to take people out of poverty and get them to prosperity -- where they can flourish, succeed and live the American Dream."

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