On the recordMay 15, 2013
I stand here today because the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, SNAP, is not a form of government waste. There is nothing wasteful about a program that, through providing modest assistance to low-income families, has nearly eliminated severe hunger in the United States of America. The average SNAP benefit provides only $1.40 per meal. Already, this forces many seniors and families with young children to skip meals throughout the week or face a shortage in food by the end of the month. We already know that children who go hungry are more likely to struggle in school and face serious health problems and less likely to escape poverty as adults. The GOP's proposed cuts to SNAP of $20 billion amount to punishing children who struggle with hunger that is beyond their control. Don't we have a national interest in protecting families who are struggling to feed themselves? Our budget is a moral document. And, Madam Speaker, there is nothing moral about abandoning America's families and American children who are struggling with hunger. ____________________
