FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Joseph Rendeiro
(202) 776-1566
jrendeiro@nclr.org
Protecting millions of vulnerable families from losing food assistance, the House of Representatives today voted down the “Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013” (H.R. 1947), known as the farm bill, which included provisions that would have cut more than $20 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) over ten years. The House had also added a number of harmful amendments to the bill that would, among other restrictions, eliminate SNAP benefits that are unused after 60 days, allow states to require drug tests for food stamp beneficiaries and prevent certain convicted felons from ever receiving benefits. NCLR (National Council of La Raza) applauds the bipartisan vote to defeat this bill and prevent drastic cuts to a program that helps millions of Latinos overcome poverty and access sufficient food.
“This bill was not only bad policy, but also downright cruel,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR. “The bill in question would have been perhaps one of the biggest attacks on vulnerable Latino families, children and workers in recent decades. For many Latinos, who have been hit the hardest by the economic downturn, SNAP is a lifeline that they rely on to put food on the table every night, and they cannot afford to lose those critical benefits.”
Approximately one in six Americans relies on SNAP, and almost 17 percent of those participants are Latino. In fact, Latino children make up almost two-fifths of all children living with hunger in this nation. The proposed cuts would have eliminated access to SNAP for approximately 2.5 million families.
“No child in this country should have to go to bed hungry,” added Murguía. “We encourage the House leadership to reconsider the misguided approach that they took with this bill and come back to the table with a farm bill that restores the cuts to SNAP and keeps America’s best interests in mind.”
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