On March 3, the House Committee on Agriculture will mark up the Farm Bill, impacting food programs. The Society's National President, John Berry, joined other national Catholic leaders in writing a letter to the committee chairman and ranking member urging them to recommit to the Farm Bill's longstanding bipartisanship in addressing food insecurity.

Members of Congress could strengthen the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), our nation’s core nutrition program, through the Farm Bill. At a time when more than 47 million people across every state and congressional district struggle to put food on the table, policies that weaken SNAP's reach or add unnecessary barriers ultimately harm low-income families, seniors, people with disabilities, and children who rely on SNAP to meet their basic nutritional needs. 

As Vincentians who serve people in need every day, let us call on committee members to improve SNAP’s effectiveness and equity, particularly by: 

• Delaying newly enacted state cost-sharing requirements from last year's reconciliation bill,
• Eliminating the lifetime ban on individuals convicted of a drug felony from receiving SNAP, and
• Providing Puerto Rico the opportunity to transition to full SNAP participation.

 

If your U.S. House representative is on the House Committee on Agriculture, please take action right away and encourage them to include these provisions in the bill. We ask you to personalize the message by adding your experience of working with those in need as a Vincentian.