Congress Negotiates Food Stamp Funding, Grijalva Opposes Cuts

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U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijavla is hoping the Senate and House of Representatives can come to an agreement on food stamp funding that would eliminate proposed cuts to the program.

The House approved a farm bill that included $40 billion in cuts to various food assistance programs, known as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs.

The Senate approved a bill that didn't include such cuts.

"It comes directly out of everything from school lunches, to supplemental support, to WIC (program for Women, Infants and Children), nutrition for babies - to meals on wheels," Grijalva said. "Every nutrition program that food banks and their commodities that they give to families in need, and food stamps, all that is going to be reduced to that $40 billion total."

He said he hopes the conference committee of House and Senate members, who are trying to write a compromise bill, can find a way to eliminate the cuts.

"When the final bill came up, many of us voted against the final bill because of that $40 billion," Grijalva said. "The Senate did not have that in theirs so this conference is critical in taking those cuts out and doing something that’s fair."

The conference committee started its work last week to adapt the Senate and House versions of the federal farm bill into something both chambers can pass.

These proposed cuts would come on top of a budget reduction for food assistance that began last week after federal stimulus funding expired.