During remarks on the House floor, Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-PA) spoke in support of the GOP's reconciliation package that narrowly cleared the House Budget Committee.
00:00I rise today in strong support of the reconciliation measure favorably reported by the House Agriculture Committee.
00:06This legislation is critical.
00:09It prevents the largest tax increase in American history from hitting our families, farmers, and small businesses.
00:16It also provides essential funding for the Trump administration to continue its work to keep our nation safe.
00:23This bill addresses two major responsibilities.
00:25Restoring integrity to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP, and making meaningful investments in American agriculture.
00:36SNAP is a vital safety net, but it must function as Congress intended, as a temporary bridge for those in need, not a permanent system of dependency.
00:46Since 2019, SNAP spending has jumped from $60 billion to $110 billion a year, while enrollment has grown from $36 million to $42 million.
01:00Yet, despite low unemployment and over 7 million job openings in our nation, fewer than one-third of able-bodied adults required to work under SNAP are earning income.
01:11Work requirements, once a bipartisan standard, has been sidestepped by executive actions and state waivers.
01:19Nearly 40 percent of recipients subject to work rules now live under waivers.
01:25That's not how the program was designed to function.
01:28States are mismanaging the program to the tune of nearly $13 billion annually in erroneous payments.
01:36That's up nearly 100 percent since 2019.
01:40Worse yet, most states are out of compliance with basic application timelines, forcing vulnerable families to wait months for help.
01:48Our measures correct course.
01:51It aligns SNAP with other state-administered benefit programs, requiring states to share in a minimal portion of program costs,
01:59encouraging better stewardship, fewer errors, and more timely service.
02:04Most importantly, it reinstates work as a pathway to independence and opportunity.
02:11Madam Speaker, success should be measured by outcomes, not outlays.
02:16An efficiently delivered benefit that encourages work is a win for both the taxpayer and the recipient.
02:24Since the 2018 Farm Bill, producers, agriculture producers, have faced soaring input costs, declining prices, and mounting debt.
02:35By the end of last year, the farm debt hit its highest level in over 50 years.
02:40The Agriculture and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M says the outlook for farm profitability is the worst in the 42 years' history of analysis.
02:51Our producers from livestock and specialty crops struggle with volatile markets, labor shortages, and growing regulatory burdens.
03:01If Congress fails to act, we risk a full-blown crisis in our food and agriculture economy.
03:08This bill delivers targeted, meaningful investment in farm safety nets and rural development.
03:14It supports research, trade promotion, and critical infrastructure.
03:19It reflects bipartisan priorities from every corner of this chamber.
03:23This bill restores the integrity of SNAP, strengthens every link in the agricultural chain,
03:30and puts rural America back at the center of our policy agenda where it belongs.
03:35Madam Speaker, I'm proud of this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support it.
03:40Thank you, Madam Speaker, and I yield back the balance of my time.
