Jim Costa: “I thank the gentlewoman. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to this irresponsible nutrition bill. Should…”

“I thank the gentlewoman. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to this irresponsible nutrition bill. Should these cuts take effect, hundreds and thousands of Californians in need will lose access to a very important lifeline. This would include one of my constituents, Pazong Moua, a mother of two who works 33 hours a week and goes to school part time in hopes of becoming a teacher to get out of this network, this lifeline that she is presently in. For her, the working poor--and in many cases some of the most vulnerable veterans across our country--SNAP is a hand ``up,'' not a hand ``out.'' It is a temporary safety net, not a lifestyle. As we emerge from the Great Recession, now is not the time to play politics with hunger. With our rich agricultural heritage, we are also a Nation that has a duty to fight hunger here at home. Former President Reagan maybe said it best: As long as there is one person in this country who is hungry, that is one person too many. Let's do the right thing. Vote ``no'' on this bill and fix it.”