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Agricultural News


House Narrowly Passes Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act- Next Step is Conference

Fri, 20 Sep 2013 05:36:23 CDT

House Narrowly Passes Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act- Next Step is Conference The House has narrowly passed the Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act of 2013- the Nutrition piece of the House Farm Bill puzzle. The final called vote was 217 to 210.


Managing the bill on the House floor was the Chairman of the House Ag Committee, Frank Lucas, the Third District Congressman for Oklahoma. Lucas, in his concluding remarks ahead of the vote told his colleagues that "it should not be this hard to pass a bill to make sure that consumers in this country and around the world have enough to eat. It shouldn't be this hard- but everything seems to be hard these days. So, let's do the hard things, let's get our work done, let's go to conference, let's put a final bill together. Let's fulfill our responsibilities."


The 109-page "Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act" would make several changes to the SNAP program such as ending "categorical eligibility" and allowing states to set work-related requirements to receive benefits.

Lucas told lawmakers the bill includes much of the same language that was agreed to by the full House as part of the earlier failed attempt to approve a five-year farm bill. The House later approved a "farm-only" bill and separated the nutrition title.


The current plan is for the House to couple the nutrition bill with its "farm-only" bill and send the package to conference with the comprehensive Senate-passed farm bill. With the passage of HR 3102, the next thing to happen will be the appointment of conferees to negotiate with the Senate. The Senate appointed their conferees earlier in the summer.


Lucas is expected to chair the Conference Committee with the Senate. He will be working with the Chairwoman of the Senate Ag Committee, who offered the following comment following the passage of HR 3102:


"We have never before seen this kind of partisanship injected into a Farm Bill. Not only does this House bill represent a shameful attempt to kick millions of families in need off of food assistance, it's also a monumental waste of time. The bill will never pass the Senate, and will never be signed by the President.



"The good news is now that this vote is behind us, we are close to the finish line. If House Republican leaders drop the divisive issues, appoint conferees and work with us in a bipartisan way, we can finalize a farm bill that creates jobs, reforms agriculture policy, and reduces the deficit by tens of billions of dollars. It's time to get a comprehensive farm bill done to give farmers and ranchers the certainty they need to continue growing the economy."


Congressman Lucas also has offered a statement through the House Ag Committee office:


"I remain committed to getting a five-year farm bill on the books this year. Today's vote was another step toward that goal. The House passed a bill that makes common-sense reforms to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that encourages and enables work participation, closes program loopholes, and eliminates waste, fraud and abuse while saving the American taxpayer nearly $40 billion. SNAP serves an important purpose to help Americans who are struggling, so it is equally important that we ensure the program is working in the most effective and efficient way. I look forward to continuing conversations with my House and Senate colleagues as we move toward a farm bill conference."


Later on Thursday evening, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack also issued a statement highly critical of the Stand Alone Nutrition measure:


"Today's vote was a highly partisan step that does nothing to promote a bipartisan, comprehensive Farm Bill and stands no chance of becoming law. The harmful plan championed today by House leadership would deny critical nutrition assistance for millions of Americans, including working families with children, senior citizens, veterans, and adults who are still looking for work. The Senate has passed a bipartisan Farm Bill two years running. Now it's time for House leadership to do their part by appointing conferees as soon as possible and completing the comprehensive bill that farmers, ranchers and rural Americans deserve."


The ranking member of the House Ag Committee, Collin Peterson of Minnesota, spoke during the debate over the rule to have a closed debate on HR 3102- and said if passed, it would make a final farm bill deal more difficult if not impossible to achieve. His full statement can be read by clicking here.



Click on the LISTEN BAR below to hear Chairman Lucas' concluding comments.





   


       

Congressman Frank Lucas advocates for HR 3102, the Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act
right-click to download mp3

 

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