News

House ag leader: losing more food assistance is a no-go

The ranking member of the House Ag Committee said Democrats will oppose additional efforts to remove food assistance in the next farm bill or any legislation. 

The statement comes nearly a week after Congress passed a bill that raises the debt ceiling and places stricter work requirements on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants, an effort opposed by several Democrats.

David Scott, a Democrat U.S. Representative from Georgia, told Chairman Glenn G.T. Thompson in a hearing on the nutrition title of the farm bill there are ways for lawmakers to work together.

“We can use innovation to improve program success and application processing time. We can provide additional support for unemployment, helping participants get a retain jobs.”

Agri-Pulse reports Thompson wasn’t ruling out using the farm bill to revisit new exemptions for the nutrition title of the farm bill, but Senate Ag Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow considers SNAP work rules settled for the next farm bill.

Watch the House Ag Committee’s hearing on the nutrition title.