DeLauro Calls for a Farm Bill That Supports American Families

WASHINGTON, DC—Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) today called for a farm bill that supports a strong farm and food security safety net for American producers and families. She urged those working on the national farm bill to support the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as food stamps, and to consider the President’s request to reform the federal crop insurance program as outlined in his budget request to Congress.

“Without the common sense steps to strengthen food stamps in the President’s budget, every family that relies on this critical program will lose some of their grocery money this fall. I fought for this provision in the Recovery Act to ensure that American families have enough food on their tables. I urge my colleagues working on the farm bill to stop looking to the food stamp program for cuts. We simply should not be reducing our efforts to prevent hunger here at home while so many working families are recovering from the economy. My colleagues should look to other farm bill programs for savings as they debate the farm bill. This should include reducing the excessive federal subsidies of the crop insurance program.”

Food stamps help to feed over 47 million Americans a day, more than 70 percent of whom were in families with children, with one of the lowest error rates of any federal program. In 2001, nearly one in seven households in DeLauro’s district were unsure if they could afford to feed their families. A senior Democrat on the committee that funds the United States Department of Agriculture, which administers the food stamp program, DeLauro is a longtime champion for efforts to reduce hunger in America.

Federal spending on crop insurance has significantly increased in recent years. The federal government pays an average of 62 percent of the premium for the insurance policies, on top of reinsuring insurance companies’ losses and reimbursing the administrative and operating costs of those same companies.

Additional information on the President’s budget request may be found here.

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