“When we passed the agriculture-only Farm Bill in July, I was disappointed we were unable to include reforms to nutrition programs that would ensure stability for our economy,” said King. “As the Chairman of the Agriculture Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight and Nutrition, I understand the importance of SNAP benefits for those eligible for aid and the need for stability for hard working farmers. SNAP was originally designed to offer aid to those who truly needed assistance. Unfortunately, it has turned into a bloated program with far too few checks and balances monitoring to whom the assistance is going. Participation in SNAP rose 65% from 2008 to 2012. During that same time, the total cost of the program rose from $37.6 billion to $78.4 billion a year. It is critical we get the growth of this program under control by ensuring that benefits go to only those who are in need.
H.R. 3102 includes reforms totaling $40 billion in savings over the next decade, cracking down on the waste, fraud and abuse currently present in SNAP. My Democratic colleagues have long been for expanding the dependency class here in America. This bill provides temporary assistance to struggling families, but it also cuts out unnecessary spending and refocuses our limited resources on those truly in need.
With passage of this bill, we have taken a step toward true reform and proper eligibility for SNAP programs. I am grateful for the leadership shown by Chairman Frank Lucas, and look forward to our continued work together on priorities of the Agriculture Committee.”
