up to 80,000 New Mexicans will lose their benefits due to those job requirements to find jobs that, frankly, don't exist

Let us know what we can do to continue to support your efforts in this regard.

New Mexico has one of the highest rates of grandparents raising grandchildren.

I do the SNAP Challenge every time that is offered to Members of Congress.

There are huge waiting lists. There are lots of problems currently in that system, particularly as this population is growing.

charity helps to support the government programs is an important concept and it is an important partnership.

I have to tell you, Mr. Chairman, that is very impressive.

That is why last month I introduced H.R. 5215, the Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2016.

I thank Members of this Committee who have already joined this important legislation, and encourage all Members to cosponsor this bill.

SNAP benefits must be increased to allow families to fully utilize the skills they learn in SNAP education programs.

Using the Low Cost Food Plan takes into account how much working people, including SNAP recipients, spend on food in order to have a nutritious diet.

New Mexico is the 5th largest state in terms of land mass. In contrast, we are 36th in population.

We want folks to get work opportunities, and we don't want being eligible for public benefits to create an environment where you are not succeeding.

If you don't have the resources to afford that, even with farmers programs that are involved, you aren't going to have a healthy, nutritious meal as a result.

I can tell you--I tell this story all the time, there is no way for $1.50 a meal I can get the kinds of things that are nutritious.

I have no tolerance for it, but I expect the state administrators to do their job and to be held accountable.

We need data about whether or not accountability is really occurring at all levels.

New Mexico finds itself in a really difficult situation where we have some of the highest poverty rates, highest food insecurity rates, highest unemployment rates now in the country.