Washington, DC – After months of intense negotiations and back-and-forth, both the House and Senate have approved the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (H.R.2), now headed to the President to be signed into law. The final bill protects and strengthens SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) provisions. It also excludes harsh provisions in the House bill that would have cut people from SNAP who are struggling to find or keep work.
Contact: Tim McHugh, Friends Committee on National Legislation, media@fcnl.org; 202-903-2515
“Quakers have worked tirelessly for a just bipartisan Farm Bill that ensures SNAP benefits don’t punish people who are still struggling in this economy. By rejecting the draconian House provisions, Congress has done just that,” said Diane Randall, Executive Secretary of the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL). “Right now, SNAP is helping 40 million Americans put food on the table. That is about more than a hot meal. That is about preserving the health and dignity of people in every state. Congress did the right thing.”
During FCNL’s Annual Meeting and Quaker Public Policy Institute (11/28-12/02), Quakers and friends lobbied members of Congress and their staff in more than 200 offices on the Farm Bill and SNAP protections. The newly-passed bill protects and improves SNAP (formerly known as food stamps) by supporting job training and employment activities proven to be successful.
“There are any number of policies to address poverty and create jobs. Taking away food is not one of them. Let’s instead invest in policies that enable more people to enter the workforce and keep a stable job. Affordable child care, access to transportation, skills development, and predictable hours are just some examples,” explained Amelia Kegan, FCNL’s Legislative Director for Domestic Policy. “The strong bipartisan votes out of the House and Senate send a clear signal: Congress does not want to take basic assistance away from people struggling to find work. Not in law. Not via Executive rulemaking. Not at all.”
Learn more about FCNL’s work to protect SNAP here.
