Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, on August 4, 1999, I introduced H.R. 2709, the Electronic Benefit Transfer Interoperability and Portability Act of 1999. The sole focus of my bill was to allow food stamp beneficiaries the ability to redeem their benefits in any general store, regardless of location. Beneficiaries had this ability under the old food stamp system, but lost it as States migrated to an electronic benefits transfer system. Under the old paper food stamp system, recipients could redeem their food coupons in any authorized food store anywhere in the country. For example, a food stamp recipient living in Bath County, Virginia, could use their food stamps in their favorite grocery store, even if that happened to be in West Virginia. Similarly, a recipient living in Tennessee could visit their mother in Virginia and purchase food for their children while away from home. Unfortunately, as we move to electronic delivery of benefits, this is currently not the case. My bill provides for the portability of food assistance benefits and allows food stamp recipients the flexibility of shopping at locations that they choose.”