During a House Agriculture Committee hearing last week, Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC) questioned Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on proposed cuts to SNAP benefits.
00:00We now recognize Dr. Adams from North Carolina for five minutes.
00:03Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you, Madam Secretary, for being here.
00:07And let me just say how delighted I was to hear about your support for HBCUs.
00:13I am HBCU strong.
00:15I'm a proud graduate twice of North Carolina A&T State University in 1890.
00:21Yes, ma'am.
00:22The largest public HBCU in the nation.
00:25But let me just move on.
00:26So I'm happy to hear what you said about that.
00:29And we'll look forward to your support.
00:32But the House Republicans' budget proposes shifting SNAP benefit and administrative costs to states.
00:40I served in the State House in North Carolina for 20 years, so I know the challenges that they have.
00:46So the CBO anticipate that these cuts could lead to states to cut all or some food assistance for 1.3 million Americans due to the cost shift.
00:57Is that right? Yes or no?
00:59I'm sorry, ma'am.
01:01You're talking about the—
01:02What if it's a yes or no?
01:03That the shifting might cause states to cut all or some food assistance?
01:09Oh, currently under consideration.
01:11Well, the partnership and the idea of the states, we spend $400 million a day—
01:15Okay.
01:16Well, what I want to—
01:16And that partnership, I think, is really important.
01:19And that's what the leadership of this committee led.
01:21Okay. Let me do this.
01:22I've got a series of questions, and they're pretty much yes or no.
01:25So are you in support of these unfunded mandates?
01:29I am in support of the most fiscally responsible effort to ensure that we're delivering the right amount of aid to the people who need it.
01:37Okay. So let me just say that the CBO has confirmed that this is an unfunded mandate.
01:44And the states have confirmed it, as well as our counties.
01:48And Mr. Chairman, I'd like to enter into the record of a letter from the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners that speak to that issue.
01:56Madam Secretary—
01:57Without objection.
01:58Madam Secretary, are you aware of reports from USDA that show that food insecurity has risen three years in a row?
02:07Yes or no?
02:08Ma'am, we have $42 million on the SNAP program. At this point of employment and unemployment, the last time we had $17 million, so that program has exponentially grown.
02:20Can you give me a yes or no?
02:22Okay. Well, my time is—let me just move on, then.
02:26Okay. So are you aware that recent USDA reports show that grocery prices are expected to increase by 3.3 percent?
02:38This year?
02:39Inflation has gone down for the first time since the last Trump administration was here, so that will directly reflect on groceries.
02:43Okay. I want to yes or no, but I don't suppose I'm going to get one.
02:47But anyway, listen, we should not be taking food assistance from families, revenue from our farmers and rural economies at any time, but especially not as costs are so high and expected to rise further.
03:04SNAP is an effective economic stabilizer during downturns, with every dollar generating as high as $1.80 economic impact during these downturns.
03:17So shifting costs to the states removes that economic stabilizing impact because states will see their tax base decrease substantially at exactly the moment when more spending is most needed.
03:32So my next question—it is a yes or no if you can do that—are you in favor of removing this economic benefit, especially for rural and small town cities and the farmers who benefit from the sale of their produce in these towns?
03:49No one in America should go hungry, so of course I'm in support of programs that are effectively run that fill that gap.
03:56All right. I'm not sure if you're saying yes or no. But anyway, let me just say this. States already—and I've heard so many people talk about the skin in the game, and states do have skin in the game already through the 50-50 administrative cost share and the current monetary penalty that they face for a too high payment error rate.
04:18In fact, Pennsylvania was sanctioned $40 million last year for having a high error rate. So let me ask one last question. So with fewer staff—what we have suggested, for example, that we know that there have been cuts, right? So with fewer staff and reduced resources, will the USDA be able to endure timely and effective support for state agencies as they handle complex policy changes,
04:47policy changes, waivers, and investigations into instances of scheming theft and technical assistance requests? Yes or no?
04:56To this I can say yes.
04:57Okay. Thank you.
04:58You're welcome.
04:59So giving ongoing unfunded and understaffing in states causing delays in SNAP application processing, is the USDA taking action to help states process applications more quickly? Can you say yes or no, ma'am?
05:15I would need to look into that, but my assumption is yes, that we are doing everything we can to help move that quickly.
05:21Okay. Thank you very much.
05:23The USDA's 1890 scholars—
05:27I'm sorry, ma'am.
05:28Your time expired.
05:29Am I out of time?
05:30Why is the clock still thick in here?
05:31Yes, ma'am.
05:32Okay. All right. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
05:33All right.
05:34I yield back, and thank you, Madam Secretary.
