Washington, D.C. — The Republican-led House Committee on Agriculture, which oversees the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), voted to cut nearly $300 billion from the vital food assistance program to fund massive tax breaks for the wealthy. That means that every Republican on this committee just voted for a plan that could force millions of children and families to go hungry just to pay for another tax break for the ultra-wealthy. It is a fundamental betrayal of their constituents and working-class Americans nationwide.
Despite key members on the committee, like Congressman Rob Bresnahan (PA-08) and Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02), claiming they didn’t want to gut this essential program, they just voted for a bill that could leave 11 million Americans without the food assistance they rely on to feed their families, risk $30 billion in revenue for American farmers, and threaten nearly 400,000 jobs supported by SNAP. They even voted against amendments that would have protected children and veterans from losing SNAP benefits under this bill.
“Congressman Bresnahan, Congressman Bacon, and every Republican on this committee voted to take food off families’ plates to fund tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires,” said Unrig Our Economy spokesperson Kobie Christian. “Food assistance for families and children shouldn’t be a slush fund for millionaires and billionaires. Yet, that is exactly how House Republicans voted yesterday. They voted to rob millions of Americans of the food they need to live to give the ultra-wealthy another handout. It’s wrong and unconscionable.”
This markup comes after the Republican-led House Committees on Energy & Commerce and Ways and Means voted earlier yesterday to advance policies that would cut Medicaid for millions of Americans and give more massive tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy. The Republican pro-billionaire tax agenda could come to a floor vote as early as next week.
To learn more about the campaign, visit UnrigOurEconomy.com or contact press@unrigoureconomy.com
###
About Unrig Our Economy
Unrig Our Economy is a national campaign to fix the rules of our economy to make it work for working people. We know that when the middle class does well, all of us do well — which is why we’re fighting on behalf of working Americans and holding corporations, their wealthy executives, and the politicians who enable them accountable.