Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi today named House Democratic Members to serve on a conference committee to complete a five-year long reauthorization of the Farm Bill:
"When millions of American are struggling to put food on the table, it is long past time for Congress to go to the negotiating table and pass a Farm Bill that will provide much-needed nutrition support for our children, our seniors, and our communities," Leader Pelosi said. "These House Democrats will offer an extraordinary level of leadership, dedication, and wide-ranging expertise in our work to restore stability to our farmers and ranchers, our rural communities, and American families across the country."
Earlier this summer, House Republicans barely passed a partisan Farm Bill that failed to include provisions from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and passed without a single Democratic vote. In doing so, they turned their back on a long history of bipartisanship as well as the economic security of millions of Americans. House Democrats are ready to come to the table and reauthorize farm programs along with SNAP for five years instead of allowing House Republicans to decouple important nutrition programs from the rest of the Farm Bill.
The following Democratic Members will serve on the Farm Bill conference:
Leader's Representative:
Congresswoman Marcia Fudge of Ohio, Chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus
House Committee on Agriculture:
Ranking Member Collin Peterson of Minnesota
Congressman Mike McIntyre of North Carolina
Congressman Jim Costa of California
Congressman Tim Walz of Minnesota
Congressman Kurt Schrader of Oregon
Congressman Jim McGovern of Massachusetts
Congresswoman Suzan DelBene of Washington
Congresswoman Gloria Negrete McLeod of California
Congressman Filemon Vela of Texas
House Committee on Foreign Affairs:
Ranking Member Eliot Engel of New York
House Ways and Means Committee:
Ranking Member Sandy Levin of Michigan