Mr. Chairman, thanks for exposing these issues.

Greed is how we determine what drug costs are.

everybody in government's core job is the public health and safety of the citizens that you represent and are, frankly, sworn to protect.

they are making political decisions before they make appropriate decisions for the public health of the community.

Well, isn't it true that in all of the States' departments of health you have got a team of epidemiologists whose job it is when anyone identifies any issues of this nature, that it is more like a SWAT team.

Given that my state is still one of the hungriest states in the country, New Mexico, it is great to hear about the kinds of ideas and incentives that allow you to do more with what you have, and making it as healthy as possible.

I think these kinds of incentives are especially important for poor states like New Mexico, and any other areas in the country that have high rates of food insecurity, poverty, obesity, and other diet related illnesses.

If Governor Snyder was here, I'd sure like to ask him if the water was toxic in Grosse Pointe instead of Flint, would you have denied it for a year?

In fact, the Double Up Program is very successful in New Mexico. We are seeing more low-income families being able to purchase fruits and vegetables.

So how do you rebut that this was purposeful then in nature, given that those protocols that you are familiar with as someone new and I'm familiar with.

This is a pattern in Michigan, and as Ms. Plaskett said, it's a pattern all over this country, how communities of color as well as low- and moderate-income communities are victims of environmental injustice.

If you don't have the resources to afford that, even with farmers programs that are involved, you aren't going to have a healthy, nutritious meal as a result.

New Mexico finds itself in a really difficult situation where we have some of the highest poverty rates, highest food insecurity rates, highest unemployment rates now in the country.

I have no doubt that this is going to further exacerbate the problem that you have testified about.

There are huge waiting lists. There are lots of problems currently in that system, particularly as this population is growing.

Let us know what we can do to continue to support your efforts in this regard.

I have no tolerance for it, but I expect the state administrators to do their job and to be held accountable.

I hope it is clear that this Committee, in a bipartisan effort, really wants to make these benefits work in a way that assists people to move out of poverty.

I get very concerned when that flexibility... can be utilized in a way that does exactly the opposite of the intent of the core program

we are also looking at getting folks into a situation where they are not dependent on these benefits

SNAP benefits must be increased to allow families to fully utilize the skills they learn in SNAP education programs.

We need data about whether or not accountability is really occurring at all levels.

Striking these balances are very important, and making sure that we don't end up in an environment where we just create more hunger.

We want to make sure beneficiaries and families, individuals in the community aren't doing things--and providers and contractors, that here I have a state that is falsifying records to deny access to some of the hungriest families in the…

That is why they have a tall Congresswoman.