Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, last month, the House Agriculture Committee hosted its first, or at least more fulsome, attempt at publicly reviewing the pandemic and Congress' response. This pandemic has infiltrated our lives in every sense possible. Unfortunately, the brunt of it was borne by our communities and, in particular, families already living paycheck to paycheck. In too many instances, arrogant career politicians issued statewide, indiscriminate edicts, forcing businesses and schools to shut their doors, plummeting our communities into a deep recession. As the end of the pandemic nears, I hope we can use what we learned in that hearing to provide these families with more holistic services, particularly as they engage in a postpandemic economy that will look wildly different. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, currently provides nutrition assistance to 43 million individuals, with an average individual benefit of $183. Total SNAP-related spending in fiscal year 2020 was $78.9 billion, which includes benefits, administration, nutrition education, employment and training, and program integrity. Of that $78.9 billion, $74.2 billion was solely for benefits. By way of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, more than $37.8 billion has been appropriated to respond to the supplemental nutrition assistance needs of our communities.…”