DelBene Statement on House Rejection of Farm Bill

Statement

Congresswoman Suzan DelBene released the following statement following the House of Representatives failed to approve a new Farm Bill:

"As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I've worked to ensure that our local farmers and food producers have a strong voice in Congress. Additionally, I've fought for a Farm Bill that is humane and protects our safety net which millions of working families and children depend on.

"Sadly, today the House put forward a Farm Bill that failed to meet the demands of our farmers or families.

"Earlier in the process, I was optimistic by the bipartisan, cooperative manner in which the Agriculture Committee drafted the Farm Bill. Working collaboratively, the Committee passed a bill that would benefit our local producers of specialty crops with programs to help them expand and benefit from research to improve their crop quality and yields. There were major reforms that would have helped stabilize the dairy market in ways that would protect consumers and dairy farmers. It included my proposal to expand Washington state's innovative job-training programs to help low-income individuals get the education and skills they need to obtain a well-paying job.

"Unfortunately, House leadership took a Farm Bill with broad bipartisan support and hijacked it, giving us a bill that wasn't good enough for our farmers and would have devastating impacts on millions of working families struggling to make ends meet. I could not support it.

"The House stripped out reforms that would have provided important protections for Washington's dairy farmers and consumers. Today's final bill reflected a dispiriting and unconscionable assault on hard working families in the form of irresponsible cuts to nutrition programs that families, seniors and children count on to survive. In addition to significant cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), House leadership pushed through amendments that harshly punish SNAP recipients, many whom are working mothers, the disabled and seniors on a fixed income.

"I was particularly disappointed that my amendments to preserve free school lunches for students and reforms to protect SNAP eligibility for hundreds of thousands of working families were not even allowed a vote on the floor.

"With today's failure by House leadership, it is my hope that we can take up the Senate's Farm Bill which is a more reasonable, balanced approach.

"For too long, our nation has been without a reauthorized Farm Bill because of Congress' inaction. I came to Congress to find solutions and deliver results. Today's vote is a reminder that House leadership must work with both sides of the aisle to move forward and get something done that is good for America's farmers and families."

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