Democrats press House GOP leaders to maintain SNAP benefits

Democrats on the House Agriculture Committee on Monday called on Republican leaders to stop threatening cuts to SNAP benefits with less than two months to finish up the 2023 farm bill, and warned that continued threats could jeopardize the prospects for progress on the bill.

In a letter addressed to Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), the 25 Democrats on the committee expressed concerns about comments from McCarthy’s leadership team threatening potential cuts to the largest U.S. food aid program to low-income Americans and asked the speaker not to interfere with the committee’s work.

The Democrats touted the bipartisan nature of the committee and praised the Republican chair, Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Penn.) for pledging to keep the bill bipartisan. 

“As we work on the 2023 Farm Bill, we would ask that you continue to honor that tradition by letting the Committee work its will, and then respect the product that we hope comes out of our process later this Fall,” the Democrats wrote in the letter, led by ranking member Rep. David Scott (D-Ga.)

“The continued threat of making additional changes to SNAP eligibility or benefits is not helpful and even undermines Chairman Thompson as he works with his Democratic and Republican membership to bring a bipartisan farm bill out of the Agriculture Committee,” they continued in the letter.

The farm bill, which must be renewed every five years, expires on Sept. 30 and must be renewed before then. It covers a wide range of policy issues and generally passes on a bipartisan basis. 

As part of negotiations with President Biden over the budget and debt ceiling, Republicans secured expanded work requirements for SNAP recipients and $6 billion worth of cuts to SNAP over 10 years. The letter comes amid heightened concern that Republicans might seek more cuts.  

“You have seen what happens when leadership gets involved in dictating the details of the farm bill, particularly when the issue involved is SNAP, the safety net for America’s working poor and elderly,” the Democrats wrote in the letter Monday. 

“The failures of the 2014 and 2018 House versions of the farm bill their first time up for consideration caused a great deal of anxiety in rural America. That should be enough of a reminder to you that playing partisan SNAP politics does nothing to address the needs of our farm and ranch families who depend on the other components of the farm bill, whether it’s the farm safety net, conservation, trade or other titles,” they continued.