Bill Lee: “I thank the gentleman for yielding, but also for his tremendous leadership on this bill and so many other issues. I rise…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding, but also for his tremendous leadership on this bill and so many other issues. I rise in strong opposition to this disastrous farm bill. This bill cuts the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by $23 billion, taking food out of the mouths of 2 million Americans. Over 265,000 children will lose benefits. Why in the world do congressional Republicans want more Americans to go hungry? This is immoral and it is wrong. These so-called work requirements won't help anyone work. They punish struggling families who are not getting enough hours at work or decent wages to help feed their families. Nutrition assistance helps 40 million people put food on the table. More than 80 percent of SNAP households work the year before or after receiving aid. The majority of people receiving SNAP benefits are children, disabled, and seniors. When I was young, I was a single mom raising two little boys. I relied on food stamps to help my family during a very difficult time in my life. It was a bridge over troubled waters. I want families to have this bridge over troubled waters now. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''”