USA Today There is a fundamental link between poverty and work. Individuals who hold full-time employment are 10 times less likely to be poor than people who are out of work during at least part of the year. But not every American has the skills and training needed to hold full-time employment. Teaching these skills takes time and resources, which is why for so long our nation has taken a piecemea... Read more »
WALL STREET JOURNAL ED BOARD April 11, 2018 A common refrain from businesses is that they can’t find enough workers. The unemployment rate is a low 4.1%, but one reason for the shortage are government benefits that corrode a culture of work. So credit to House Republicans for trying to fix disincentives in food stamps amid what are sure to be nasty and dishonest attacks. House Agriculture Chairman... Read more »
Washington, D.C. – Today, the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition held a hearing examining pathways available to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients to improve their education and labor force involvement and aim for independence. Subcommittee Chairman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (PA-5) and members heard from witnesses on career pathway approaches available to work-capable S... Read more »
Washington, D.C. – Today, the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition held a hearing to evaluate technology and modernization in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson and members of the committee heard from a variety of witnesses on the ways technology and modernization improve the customer experience, streamline delivery of servic... Read more »
Washington, D.C. – Today, House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway (TX-11) welcomed newly-confirmed U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Sec. Sonny Perdue to Capitol Hill to testify on the “State of the Rural Economy.” Following the hearing, Chairman Conaway made the below statement: “Against the backdrop of a four-year, 50-percent decline in net farm income, Sec. Perdue’s comments... Read more »
Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (PA-5), chairman of the House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Nutrition, held a hearing to discuss the future of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as part of the hearing series to set the stage for the next farm bill. During the 114th Congress, the committee completed a comprehensive review of SNAP—known as the Past, Pr... Read more »
Remarks as prepared for delivery: Good morning, and welcome to today’s Nutrition Subcommittee hearing on the future of SNAP. This hearing continues the Committee’s series to review current policy and set the stage for the next farm bill. Thank you to everyone for taking the time to be here, particularly our five witnesses for their participation and respective insights. The House Committee on Agri... Read more »
Washington, D.C. - Today, the House Agriculture Committee held a hearing to explore the implications of restricting what can be purchased with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Members of the committee heard from a panel of witnesses who discussed the challenges of implementing product restrictions, the need for encouraging healthy purchasing habits, and the role that ince... Read more »
Remarks as prepared for delivery: I want to welcome our witnesses to today’s hearing and thank them for taking the time to share their views on a very timely and somewhat sensitive topic—the idea of restricting SNAP purchases. This hearing is a continuation of the conversation had in a Member roundtable last October. There are good arguments to be made on both sides of this issue, and this discuss... Read more »
Washington, D.C. - Today, House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway (R-TX) unveiled a new report summarizing the committee’s two-year review of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Committee members heard from 60 witnesses in 16 hearings over the course of the review known as the Past, Present, and Future of SNAP. The report can be viewed here. SNAP has grown from a ... Read more »