DeGette Statement on Farm Bill Vote

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (CO-1) today issued the following statement regarding her vote against the Farm Bill, H.R. 1947. The bill failed 195 to 234. The bill would have gutted $20.5 Billion in funding for the critical Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), better known as the food stamp program. SNAP provides vital food support for over 45 million Americans, nearly half of whom are children.

"I've spent my career in public service fighting for the most vulnerable families among us, and therefore I could not in good conscience vote for the farm bill that came to the House Floor today. While the amendment process brought some important improvements, the underlying bill remained deeply flawed and the bill would have devastated access to food for millions of low-income American families. Our nation cannot build a framework for long-term strength while knowingly driving our citizens – many of whom are children – into hunger.

"Within the debate I was, however, proud to work with Rep. Goodlatte (R-VA) on a dairy amendment to help prevent significant increases in milk prices, that would impact federal nutrition programs like school lunches for our children. That effort was a great example of the fact that we in Congress can come together on a bipartisan basis to bring our nation a balanced farm bill that helps America's farmers and the food industry, without doing so on the backs of low-income families. Today's bill was absolutely not that bill so I am pleased so many of my colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, joined me in voting it down."

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