Cartwright Votes against Increasing Hunger in America

Statement

Today, Rep. Cartwright voted against the "Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act", legislation which cuts food aid (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program/SNAP) by nearly $40 billion, denying basic food for nearly 4 million Americans next year. The measure passed by a vote of 217 to 210.

"Today, I joined with religious and hunger prevention leaders across the county in standing up for America's families who are struggling to put food on the table, including 28,000 here in Pennsylvania's 17th District," Rep. Cartwright said. "Voting against draconian cuts that will take the food out the mouths of nearly 4 million Americans next year was the right thing to do. These devastating cuts will harm children, seniors, veterans, and Americans looking for work."

"SNAP is a vital tool to fight hunger and help unemployed Americans feed their families as they seek new employment, send their children to school, and get themselves back on their feet. More than 90% of people on SNAP are children, the elderly, disabled, or already working, and yet they are struggling to put food on the table as SNAP benefits amount to only $1.40 per meal here in Pennsylvania," Rep. Cartwright stated.

The bill contains a number of provisions that ignore the reality of a sluggish job market and unemployment, which is at 7.5% here in Pennsylvania. For example, the bill would end governors' ability to waive SNAP's harsh time limit for people looking for work in time of high unemployment. Further, the House bill will cut school lunches for over 200,000 children and eliminate food assistance for 170,000 veterans.

"Not only is this bill harmful to the most vulnerable, it will weaken our nation's farm and rural economies and jeopardize any chance of enactment of a new farm bill to support our nation's farmers, ranchers, food security, conservation, rural communities," Rep. Cartwright stated.

"I agree with Former President Reagan, who said, "As long as there is one person in this country who is hungry, that's one person too many, and something must be done about it.' As too many children and seniors go to bed hungry each night, my vote today rejecting these shameful cuts was a vote for enacting a bipartisan Farm Bill that restores essential nutrition initiatives for nearly 50 million Americans," Rep. Cartwright said.

Source