DeLauro Fights for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) stood up for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and its recipients at a hearing on the budget for USDA’s Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services. During the hearing, DeLauro called on Republicans to stop attempting to enact harmful policies regarding SNAP, which include block-granting the program and requiring drug testing.

“SNAP is of one of the most powerful tools we have for ending childhood hunger in the United States and it helps millions of hardworking American families every year. SNAP continues to do more than any other government assistance program to lift Americans out of poverty and the numbers speak for themselves. In 2014 alone, the program lifted 4.7 million people out of poverty, including 2.1 million children,” said Rosa DeLauro. “However, Republicans on the other side of the aisle, including Speaker Ryan, say that we spend trillions of dollars on these programs and yet the poverty rate does not change. This is simply not true. Without these critical safety net programs, more Americans would struggle”.

“When Republicans continue their fight against SNAP, which includes a push to enact block-grants, drug testing policies, and prohibiting certain food purchases, we are focusing on the wrong issues. We cannot continue to wage a war against the poor,” continued DeLauro. “If we are going to drug test SNAP recipients, we should drug test every recipient of USDA funding, including crop insurance beneficiaries and agriculture subsidy recipients. I will continue to stand up against these unconscionable attacks on America’s working families and I urge my colleagues to stand with me in in ensuring that the federal budget would not harm low-income households, increase hunger, and dilute SNAP’s strengths.”