Massachusetts Rep. Jim McGovern says he will employ six priorities as the House Agriculture Committee works on food stamps as part of the 2018 farm bill, beginning with increasing monthly benefits from an “inadequate” $126. The lead Democrat on the nutrition subcommittee, McGovern released his list of priorities as a rebuttal to a report released in December by the committee chairman, Michael Conaway of Texas.
The report was compiled without input from Democrats, said McGovern, a House leader against hunger. “I am writing to emphasize some of the most powerful testimony given before the Committee that I believe should help guide policy decisions in the upcoming farm bill.” McGovern said he opposed block-granting, a frequent proposal from Republicans to contain the cost of food stamps.
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a think tank, said enrollment in food stamps is down by 9 percent, or four million people, since peaking in December 2012 during the slow economic recovery. Cost of the program in fiscal 2016, $70.9 billion, was the lowest in six years.
In his 66-page report, Conaway said states “must ensure that those who can work, do.” In a statement, Conaway said the program “is working well in many ways but there are a number of areas in need of improvement,” but did not make direct recommendations for legislative action.