Press Releases

Washington, D.C. - Today, House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway joined House Speaker Paul Ryan and Republican lawmakers to unveil a policy plan, “A Better Way,” aimed at helping lift people out of poverty and onto the ladder of opportunity. The rollout was announced at House of Help City of Hope, a poverty-fighting organization in Washington, DC, focused on cultural, spiritual, and social education and development.

"We can address hunger, we can address homelessness, but until we address the core issues people are facing, it's just an endless cycle. What we have seen in our review of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is community partners are critical to successful upward mobility by working directly with a person to address their specific needs. Our challenge is to craft policy that allows the work that people like Bishop Shirley do to flourish with the public resources available," said Conaway.

The plan – available now at better.gop – includes ideas to:

• Reward work. A good job is the surest way out of poverty. If you are capable, we will expect you to work or prepare for work.

• Tailor benefits to people’s needs. Instead of the same failed one-size-fits-all approach, we will match poverty-fighting programs with your needs so that it’s easier to keep a job and start a family.

• Improve skills and schools. To help protect the next generation from poverty, we will make sure that poor kids have more opportunities to succeed at every stage, from childhood through college.

• Plan and save for the future. To help you stay on the path from dependence to independence, we will make it easier for you and your family to plan for the future and be retirement-ready.

• Demand results. We will open up the system to accountability and collaboration with local communities, backing ideas that work on the front lines every day.

These ideas were developed by the Task Force on Poverty, Opportunity, and Upward Mobility, which includes: Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX), Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price (R-GA), Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-MN), Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), and Ways & Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX).