Press Releases

The letter comes as the House prepares to return from their August district work period with a farm bill expiration date looming. 

Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) this week joined 65 of her Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC) colleagues in a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson urging him to revise the partisan farm bill that passed out of the House Committee on Agriculture and work with House Democrats to pass a bipartisan farm bill that helps women, families, and farmers.

The Members warned that including cuts to food and nutrition assistance programs, including Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, in the farm bill could jeopardize its final passage, putting thousands of farmers and families in harm’s way. The letter highlights the positive impact that SNAP has on women and families, emphasizing that the majority of the program’s recipients are women and children, many in families experiencing poverty. 

“H.R.8467, the ‘Farm, Food, and National Security Act,’ as passed out of Committee, would cut $30 billion in food assistance from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) over the next decade, the largest cut to SNAP in nearly twenty years,” the members wrote. “This would disproportionately impact women and children, who make up the vast majority of SNAP participants.” 

“We are committed to passing a farm bill that supports both our farmers and ranchers, and nutrition assistance for women and their families,” the members continued, “We look forward to working with you to address our concerns and deliver for women across the country.” 

The letter was led by Rep. Jahana Hayes (CT-05), DWC Chair Lois Frankel (FL-22), DWC Vice Chairs Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03) and Nikema Williams (GA-05), and DWC Policy Co-Chairs Kathy Manning (NC-06) and Ayanna Pressley (MA-07). 

Read the full letter here.

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