Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I rise to propose an amendment to the nutrition title of this bill. I will mention at the outset that my amendment has been scored by the Congressional Budget Office as budget neutral and not adding to direct spending. Mr. Chairman, my amendment is very simple. It will expand the items available for purchase under the SNAP program to include items of personal hygiene. Historically, the purpose of the SNAP program has been to provide financial assistance to poor individuals to purchase food. Nearly 50 million people in this country currently rely on SNAP benefits to provide food for themselves and their families. No one wants to depend on SNAP for one's next meal, but we have a responsibility to our neighbors to provide and care for them in their time of need; but for the poor, need does not just stop at food. While SNAP currently provides financial assistance to purchase certain types of food, there is no mechanism to help needy people purchase personal hygiene items like toothbrushes and toothpaste and toilet paper and feminine items, among other items used for their personal care, items that they cannot afford. My amendment expands SNAP-eligible purchases to include personal hygiene items to be determined by the Secretary of Agriculture. Ensuring that poor families have access to personal hygiene products is the right thing to do. Giving families the ability to purchase personal hygiene products will save us money in the long run.…”