Sheila Jackson Lee: “Let me thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for yielding. Let me very quickly say that my first statement is my…”

“Let me thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for yielding. Let me very quickly say that my first statement is my opposition to this bill. I can't imagine the cut of $23 billion out of our food nutrition program, nor can I understand the breaching of the relationship between our support for farmers and our support for poor people. I appreciate my good friend, Mr. Faso, but I have to stand in strong opposition to his amendment which would authorize States to privatize and contract out program eligibility and other administrative functions. Mr. Chair, I come from Texas. We tried it. It was an enormous drain on the budget. It didn't work. It was costly. People lost their benefits. It is a terrible idea because removing SNAP's merit staffing requirement would prioritize profit, disrupt access to food assistance, and export good jobs. The SNAP merit system ensures that an employee's core mission objective is to effectively implement program rules unhindered by private interests or profit motives. Many SNAP clients, including the elderly and disabled, have complex cases that require trained professional civil service workers to dedicate significant time. When these functions are turned over to for-profit companies, there is a different priority, Mr. Chairman. They focus on the bottom line rather than providing comprehensive support. Your constituents of this program are the elderly and children and disabled.…”