Jimmy Panetta

I have to say, I am actually proud of the bipartisan work that we did here in the United States Congress.

I appreciate you being here today to discuss these important USDA nutrition programs, and obviously, how they support all Americans in need.

We believe that the need for this guidance should be given more priority given the current food insecurity in this country.

This important guidance project would clarify an issue created by the current Treasury Regulations to ensure that Section 170(e)(3) works as intended for donors to make charitable contributions of prepared food.

We are writing to you to raise our concerns with respect to the pending guidance project regarding the treatment of charitable contributions of inventory under section 170(e)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

On behalf of North America's fresh produce industry, we are calling for urgent government action to address significant ongoing supply chain disruptions.

As an American and as a veteran and as a Representative, it is my duty to ask questions.

I want to thank you for continuing to remind the American public not to reduce the service of 800,000 men and women who served in Afghanistan down to a 2-week chaotic withdrawl.

It is exactly what my legislation, the Wildfire Emergency Act, hits on and expands.

I introduced the Save Our Forests Act.

Even with that level of certainty, however, the growers that I represent continue to ensure an even stronger, safer, and more transparent food system.

The LGMA is representing 90 percent of the leafy greens grown in the United States.

Most of the leafy green producers in my district belong to the Leafy Green Marketing Agreement.

I represent the Central Coast of California. It is known as the Salad Bowl of the World.

Given the health benefits of these types of meals, should the SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot Program be expanded?

I have introduced H.R. 2339, Military and Hunger Prevention Act, which establishes basic needs allowance to help low-income military families purchase food.

That is why earlier this year, Representatives Gomez, Harder, and myself introduced H.R. 1919, Enhanced Access to SNAP, or EATS Act.

I am grateful that we have finally increased SNAP benefits by 15 percent through the end of September, but we are obviously going to have to work to do more to prevent a Federal food cliff come that day.

We couldn't food bank our way out of the pandemic--and we cannot food bank our way out of hunger.

I believe we need to look to the future and to see how we can improve SNAP, not just as a response to the pandemic, but as a response to the new normal.

The fact that we all have the same end goal is very encouraging.

As COVID-19, as we saw throughout the pandemic, it was necessary and it was critical to have that capacity that public servants provided to our Nation.

In passing the commission's recommendations, I think Congress would advance America's core principles of service, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.

I do believe that the work of this commission and the passage of this--the legislation that we are talking about is more important now more than ever.

We would be essentially fully reliant on the sea-based leg of the triad.