Madeleine Dean: “My husband and I have raised three hungry boys. I know how difficult and expensive it can be. Our government should not…”

“My husband and I have raised three hungry boys. I know how difficult and expensive it can be. Our government should not be making it any harder. Yet, Republicans in this Chamber are working overtime to make it harder for families to receive SNAP benefits, putting more than 14 million children at risk of hunger. Republicans talk about trusting parents and protecting our kids only when it fits their agenda, because when it comes to trusting parents to use programs like SNAP to feed their children, this Republican majority pushes for more regulation, less trust. We have seen this play out firsthand. Under the last Congress, Democrats, our majority, expanded the child tax credit and cut child poverty in half. When it tragically ended, and every Republican refused to restore it, children plunged back into poverty. As the Speaker's self-inflicted chaos inches us closer to a Federal budget deadline, it is clear: Our children are suffering because of the antics and extremism of the Republican majority. Mr. Speaker, I urge this House majority to rethink their chaos, protect SNAP benefits, and lift all of our children out of poverty. ____________________”