Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) chastised Republicans in a Monday report over their decision to forfeit nutrition programs, while approving farm subsidies from which they benefit.
Fourteen Republican members of Congress that voted in favor of farm subsidies have received a joint total of $7.2 million in such benefits since 1995, the report reads. Additionally, Republican representatives holding a total net worth of up to $124.5 million "personally benefit" from the farm subsidies for which they voted, the report claims.
“It’s outrageous that some members of Congress feel it is OK to vote for their own taxpayer subsidies but against critical nutrition assistance for 47 million Americans,” Miller told Politico. “It’s bad enough that the House of Representatives didn’t pass a farm bill that included authorization for sorely needed nutrition programs, but to see members of Congress approving their own benefits at the expense of the working poor is a new low, even for this Congress.”
On July 11, the House of Representatives passed a farm bill that includes agriculture subsidies but not food stamps, splitting programs that have been paired in the legislation since 1973. The bill was split in two when House Democrats and Republicans could not reach a compromise on cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which regulates food stamps.
"I'm voting against the new Republican farm bill on the House floor today because it omits all nutrition assistance funding for low-income families and will increase hunger in America – plain and simple," Miller said on his Facebook page the day of the vote.
Miller calls for a farm bill that maintains a strong food stamps program while ending subsidies for the wealthy. View the full report below:
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