Opening Statements

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 experience as members of the National Commission on Hunger. This hearing, like those before, builds upon the Committee’s top-to-bottom review of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.

Throughout this process, we have had an eye towards strengthening SNAP so that it doesn’t become a trap, but rather a tool to help individuals move up the economic ladder. As we have learned throughout this hearing series, SNAP does not operate in a vacuum. It should not be expected to carry the entire load and provide all solutions for the most vulnerable. That being said, it does serve an important role in the lives of nearly 46 million Americans.

For them and the integrity of our review, it is important that we continue to invite for consideration a range of perspectives and recommendations for improving SNAP and the other nutrition programs in our jurisdiction. Hearing from the National Commission on Hunger is a continuation of that effort. As you will hear, the Commission spent the last year traveling the country to see and listen to those closest to this issue to better understand the challenges within these programs, as well as learn about the successes.

The fiscal year 2014 omnibus appropriations bill provided $1 million for a national commission on domestic hunger by including an amendment from former Congressman Frank Wolf. The purpose the Commission, according to the bill, was to provide policy recommendations to Congress and the Agriculture Secretary on how to more effectively use existing Agriculture Department programs and funds to combat domestic hunger.

They were also instructed to develop “innovative recommendations to encourage public-private partnerships, faith-based sector engagement, and community initiatives to reduce the need for government nutrition assistance programs, while protecting the safety net for the most vulnerable members of society.”

The 10-member commission was made up of individuals appointed by the House Speaker, the House minority leader, Senate majority leader and Senate minority leader. The result being five Republican and five Democrat selected Commissioners with a range of backgrounds from a medical doctor and grocery chain owner to hunger advocates and community leaders.

Today, the Commission-selected co-chairs are here to share their year-long process that involved field hearings and site visits in nine different cities. Each hearing began with invited witnesses, similar to our format, but then were opened up for public input. I believe the hearing here in DC back in the spring lasted more than five hours. This is rather remarkable given each public witness was limited to five minutes.

While their report is not yet final, I commend their efforts to remain united as a Commission, especially given their diverse backgrounds, in presenting their final recommendations and for staying within their charge to not propose policies that increase costs or require additional resources.

I look forward to hearing from the Commission's co-chairs about their process, emergent themes from that process, and a preview of what we can expect when their final report is released in the coming weeks.