Farm Bill passes U.S. Senate 68-32 but MA Senators Warren and Markey vote NO to SNAP Cuts! Please THANK THEM!

FoodSNAP

02/04/14

At 2:35 PM today, the United States Senate voted to pass the "Farm Bill" or Agricultural Act of 2014. The Act includes $8.6B in cuts to the SNAP program, cuts which can potentially affect up to 125,000 Massachusetts SNAP households, many of whom are seniors and persons with disabilities, by reducing their SNAP benefits up to $70/month. The SNAP benefits were already cut in November with the roll back of the ARRA cost of living adjustment. And many SSI and RSDI recipients are experiencing cuts this month to offset the SSA cost of living adjustment, but the price of food and fuel continues to go up. SNAP benefits are woefully inadequate and need to be increased, not cut.

MLRI and the SNAP Coalition have started working with statewide groups to urge the Governor to elect the options available in the Farm Bill to delay implementation and ameliorate the SNAP reduction. Governor Patrick has been a staunch supporter of the SNAP program and has consistently urged the U.S. House and Senate to vote NO to the "heat and eat" and other cuts in the Farm Bill. We thank Governor Patrick for his support.

Coalition members need to know that both Senators Warren and Markey voted NO to the Farm Bill because of the cuts to SNAP. Here's a link to the NYT article covering this story. Their vote follows a NO vote by the majority of Massachusetts House members (all voted NO but Congressman Lynch, who was absent.)

Here's a link to today's Senate vote: http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=113&session=2&vote=00021
Here's a link to the Jan 29th House vote: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2014/roll031.xml

Below is a statement from Senator Markey explaining his vote. I will pass on Senator Warren's statement once received.

PLEASE CALL both Senators Markey and Warren. THANK THEM for their votes to protect and defend SNAP. And please call your House member as well!

We have a proud tradition in Massachusetts. Our House and Senate members NEVER voted for the SNAP cuts in the Farm Bill deliberations over the past few years. The Food SNAP Coalition is very proud of our great state and hopes to work with our Massachusetts state agencies, community partners and SNAP recipients to minimize the harm of this federal SNAP cut.

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Markey on Farm Bill: Cuts to SNAP Would Lead to More Hungry Families and Children

Nutrition assistance program supports 1 in 7 individuals in Mass,

40% of them are children

Washington (February 4, 2014) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the following statement today after voting against passage of the Farm Bill. The Farm Bill cuts the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by $8.6 billion over ten years. Nationally, it is estimated that 850,000 households will suffer cuts to benefits. In Massachusetts, 125,000 households may lose $70 per month in food assistance.

“Instead of stopping wasteful aid to the wealthiest farmers, the Farm Bill slashes SNAP benefits for the poorest Americans, the elderly and disabled. We have a dire hunger problem in this country, and cuts to the SNAP program will only make it worse. Nearly 50 million people across the country do not have enough food to eat. During this frigid winter, vulnerable families shouldn’t have to choose between heating their home or putting food on the table. SNAP is the most effective anti-hunger program we have. Cuts to the SNAP program mean more Massachusetts families will go hungry, more children will go without nutritious meals, and millions of America’s households will not be able to make ends meet. As our economy continues to recover, we need to continue the fight to ensure that we protect funding for this critical program so that families in need don’t fall through the cracks.”

In October, Senator Markey joined a coalition of 38 Senators urging the Farm Bill negotiators to reject cuts to food stamps for millions of children, seniors, and vulnerable families. He urged the negotiators to reject all eligibility changes that would prevent millions of children, seniors, and families facing a constant struggle against hunger from accessing nutritious food and hundreds of thousands of low-income children from accessing free school meals.