Jim McGovern

The only way to solve that problem is by increasing wages.

Two-thirds of SNAP recipients are kids, seniors, or the disabled, most of whom are not expected to work.

They urge us not to cut SNAP, not to block grant SNAP. In fact, they urged us to strengthen the program by making it easier for eligible people to enroll and re-enroll in the program.

SNAP is something that is working. Time and time again we have heard from witnesses, both Democratic and Republican witnesses, that SNAP is a good program.

The fact of the matter is we are not meeting the need because the government, in my opinion, is not adequately investing and responding to the real need that is out there.

Congress has been so focused on trying to demonize the program and finding some fault with the program.

I would like to have a discussion about how we could put food banks out of business.

If we want to talk about a reform, we ought to be talking about a benefit that actually meets the need.

The SNAP benefit is too low.

Everybody likes to get up and talk about how wonderful all you guys are, but then, what we have seen over the last few years, is Congress has shirked its responsibility.

Nobody here is arguing that we should cut SNAP, am I correct?

As a Member of Congress, I am ashamed of that fact. So I would say hunger is a political condition.

To put it in perspective, I have a FAQ sheet here from Bread for the World, these are 2013 figures so it is probably a little bit different in 2015.

Millionaires on SNAP. It is not a problem. We fixed it in the farm bill.

Thank you, Chairwoman Jackie Walorski, Ranking Member Jim McGovern, and Members of the Subcommittee on Nutrition for the opportunity to testify on the characteristics of the population served by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance…

SNAP eligibility requirements are tough, even if you are poor, and the program has one of the lowest error rates of any Federal program. The bottom line is that SNAP works.

Thank you very much, Chairwoman Walorski, and congratulations on chairing your first hearing of this Subcommittee.

SNAP works. And, Mr. Greenstein, you just made that point that it is a well-run, efficiently-run, effective program, and we should be proud of this program.

Every decision has a reaction, and every act has an act on the other side.

One of the biggest tragedies my years in the Housing Authority is the loss of the Self-Sufficiency Program.

The cliff effect is a huge issue, a massive issue.

Every case is different. Every single person in poverty is different from the other person in poverty, and it is so difficult to categorize these matters.

I mean it was a very thoughtful study of our deficits, and how we get to a balanced budget and how we proceed forward, and that we should not be putting people into poverty as a part of that process.

McGovern's comments about the need for these programs, and the fact that we are talking about them is not a reason to cut them unnecessarily or make them go away without good reason.

I am happy to work with you to increase the benefit because it is inadequate.