Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA), the Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Nutrition Subcommittee and a member of House Democratic leadership, released the following statement on the House Republican farm bill released today.

“The process that produced this farm bill shows that Congress is broken.

“The farm bill is more than 600 pages and was dumped on our laps just hours ago with Republicans planning to rush it to a vote in committee next week. We are still reviewing it, but the fact that this farm bill was written in secret behind closed doors tells you Republicans don’t want Americans to understand what’s in it and who is hurt by it.

“The House Agriculture Committee has held 23 hearings on SNAP – America’s premier anti-hunger program. Chairman Conaway promised that this farm bill would reflect the findings of those SNAP hearings. Not a single witness, Republican or Democrat, conservative or liberal, testified in favor of these types of changes. In fact, nearly every witness sought to strengthen SNAP and increase its benefits.

“Farm bills are supposed to be an investment in our farms, our farmers, and the programs that help them to feed America. Farm bills shouldn’t be about beating up on poor people, but this farm bill significantly reduces and cuts benefits for millions of the most vulnerable in our country.

“The bottom line is this farm bill will make hunger worse in America. This farm bill does not represent my values or the values of the people I represent. America’s farmers and the American people deserve so much better.”
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