Political Quotes

“As chairman of the Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition for the 115th Congress, I am confident that we must work to ensure that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program known as SNAP is meeting the needs of those that it is intended to serve. The House Agriculture Committee hearings have highlighted how nutrition matters and the specific ways that vulnerable populations are well served by a strong, sound, and reliable food program. SNAP serves a diverse population who share a common need for nutritional support beyond what is available based on personal means, family support, and community resources. Now, according to a 2015 USDA report, 42.7 percent of SNAP recipients are children, while single parent households are more susceptible to food insecurity, especially those who are single mothers. Two-parent families also struggle, at times, to put food on the table. Children whose households face food insecurity, face both negative developmental and health consequences. A child's future success goes beyond what any single government program can or should achieve. SNAP is not the only means of breaking the cycle of poverty, but it certainly plays a key role in increasing food security for children. Mr. Speaker, for me, SNAP is not merely a food program but a pathway that works to lift people out of poverty. It is a tool for the better health and development of our children who deserve no less. ____________________”