House Ag Committee Passes Reconciliation Bill, Now Moves to House Budget Committee
The House Agriculture Committee passed a reconciliation bill late Wednesday that would cut $290 billion over 10 years from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). It would also add $60 billion in farm program spending. The 29 to 25 vote was split along party lines. The reconciliation bill now goes to the House Budget Committee to be merged with measures passed by other committees.
The House bill provides money to raise reference prices that trigger farm subsidies and increase crop insurance premium subsidies. It also allocates funds to increase spending on a variety of USDA programs.
During the two-day hearing, many amendments were offered to maintain current SNAP funding. Representative Angie Craig said she was disappointed because her members had filed 44 amendments that were not considered. She added that the bill shatters the farm bill coalition, which makes the path to passing a five-year farm bill much harder.
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson said the bill restores integrity to SNAP, provides relief to farmers, invests in the future of rural America and prevents the largest tax increase on American families. He also stated, “We preserve the (SNAP) program’s ability to serve the most vulnerable long into the future. At the same time, we’re strengthening the farm safety net and delivering critical support to the farmers, workers, and communities that keep America fed.”
It is too soon to determine the bill’s prospects for passage in the House. The Senate will likely change the agricultural provisions if the House bill passes. The Senate budget only cuts $1 billion from SNAP.