“Mr. Speaker, over 68,000 Ventura County residents in my district rely on SNAP benefits to make ends meet and put food on the table. More than half of those 68,000 people are children”, said Rep. Brownley.
On September 19, 2013 Rep. Julia Brownley of California asked for and was granted permission to address the United States House of Representatives for one minute regarding the Republican proposal to cut food stamp benefits in America.
“Mr. Speaker, over 68,000 Ventura County residents in my district rely on SNAP benefits to make ends meet and put food on the table. More than half of those 68,000 people are children. The bill before us today won’t create jobs or improve our economy. It simply makes it harder for families, including our Nation’s veterans, to feed their children.”
“From 2008 to 2011, SNAP food purchases tripled at commissaries throughout the country, which are open to military families and veterans. Currently, 900,000 veterans across the country receive SNAP benefits. Under H.R. 3102, benefits would be cut for as many as 170,000 veterans, and some would lose their benefits entirely”, he said.
“A vote for this bill is a vote to let millions of children, seniors, people with disabilities, and veterans go hungry. I urge my colleagues to join me in fighting hunger in America by opposing this bill”, said Rep. Brownley (source: Congressional Record http://thomas.loc.gov).
Rep. Brownley is a member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, serving on the Subcommittee on Environment and Space. She also serves as the ranking member of the Health Subcommittee.