DeLauro Statement on Farm Bill Conferees

WASHINGTON, DC—Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) releasedthe following statement today after the announcement that the House ofRepresentatives has named its members of the Farm Bill conference committee.DeLauro is a former chairwoman of the subcommittee responsible for funding theAgriculture Department.

"The $40 billion in cuts to food stamps, our most importantanti-hunger program, that House Republicans are advancing, as well as theirvarious other misguided proposals to further hurt those in need, are immoraland must be rejected. If their policy becomes law, over four million ofour nation's most vulnerable people, including children, seniors, veterans andthe disabled, will lose access to the food they need. This is even asRepublicans continue to give $90 billion in crop insurance subsidies to some ofAmerica's wealthiest families and agribusiness.

"This is at a time when roughly one-fifth of U.S. householdswith children have experienced food insecurity. Put simply, that meansthey are hungry. They do not always know where their next meal is coming from.Without access to nutritious food, children's brains do not properly develop,they cannot properly learn and they cannot reach their full potential, whichhurts them, their families and our country.

"As former senators Bob Dole and Tom Daschle—one aRepublican, one a Democrat—put it, this House, ‘severed the vital tie thathelps connect our food system with those who struggle with hunger in ourbackyard.' Breaking the strong, bipartisan coalition—betraying nutrition,agriculture, homeless, seniors, education, and health care organizations—thathave traditionally supported the Farm Bill would be bad for farmers andfamilies. It must be rejected."