Further cementing his profile as a self-serving politician, Representative Jeff Denham voted today for the 2018 Farm Bill in the House Agriculture Committee. Make no mistake—the 2018 Farm Bill is a cruel and reckless bill that puts California farmers and the entire state’s economy at risk.
In an agricultural region where farmers are already struggling to survive, the 2018 Farm Bill will only exacerbate their problems. The twisted bill cuts crucial programs that support local food systems, fails to address the 52% decline in farm income, and fails to help farmers export their products—all at a time when the White House is pursuing a reckless trade war that will hurt California’s agricultural industry.
The bill also kicks more than a million off the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a program that “offers nutrition assistance to millions of eligible, low-income individuals and families and provides economic benefits to communities.” Nearly two-thirds of SNAP recipients are children, elderly or disabled.
Although SNAP already contains strict work requirements, and over 80% of SNAP households are employed in the year before or after receiving SNAP, the 2018 Farm Bill imposes even tougher requirements and creates a massive new bureaucracy to implement and enforce them. And where did Denham find the funding for this new bureaucracy? From the most vulnerable among us, who will lose their critical SNAP benefits.
“By voting for this cruel and reckless legislation, Congressman Jeff Denham has once again put his party ahead of his constituents,” said DCCC Spokesman Drew Godinich. “California’s agricultural industry is under constant attack from Washington Republicans like Jeff Denham —this bill does nothing for the Central Valley, and actively hurts farmers, children, and the disabled.”
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