Nydia M. Velazquez: “I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the rule and to this unconscionable…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the rule and to this unconscionable legislation. Make no mistake, if you support this bill, you are voting to take food from the mouths of almost 4 million of our fellow citizens next year. Who are these Americans? Nearly half of them are children. They are seniors. They are our veterans. One in every five veterans receives SNAP benefits. Is this the way we thank them for their service? Mr. Speaker, Congress does not agree on much these days; but I have always assumed that we could at least support the idea that in this country no child should go hungry. Have we gone so far that we cannot even find bipartisan support for that? If so, then we have truly lost our way. Is this what my Republican friends call ``compassionate conservatism''? I say to my colleagues, the whole Nation is watching. You will be held accountable. Vote ``no'' on this rule and this shameful underlying bill.”