MADISON, Wis. – While Head Start programs, domestic violence shelters, and food pantries scrambled this week in response to federal grant and loan programs being cut, House Republicans huddled out-of-sight in Florida to prepare their plan to force massive cuts to nutrition assistance and other programs. The proposal is the latest attempt to pay for massive tax breaks for the ultra-rich and big corporations as part of an extension of President Trump’s 2017 Tax Plan.
As part of these cuts, the Agriculture Committee, which Congressman Derrick Van Orden is a member of, will consider massive reductions to nutrition assistance benefits that help Wisconsinites put food on the table. Punchbowl News reported, “The House Agriculture Committee is targeting between $100 billion and $250 billion in cuts. Some would impact SNAP, aka food stamps. Mandating states pay more for SNAP benefits with a cost-share requirement, changing the Thrifty Food Plan process and expanding work requirements were among the options.”
“Cutting programs like SNAP not only hurts the more than 700,000 Wisconsinites who depend on SNAP to put food on the table, it affects family farmers across Wisconsin by reducing demand for products,” said Hans Breitenmoser, a dairy farmer in Lincoln County. “Our members of Congress, and particularly those on the Agriculture Committee, should understand that when they force families to pay more for groceries and basic necessities, it weakens our economy and makes it tougher for all of us to succeed. We need agricultural policies that support family farmers and make sure Wisconsinites can access the nutrition their family needs.”
“Congressman Van Orden has a decision to make: Will he stand by while his constituents watch their grocery bills go up or will he fight back against these disastrous funding cuts?” asked Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. “Republicans in Congress need to be honest with the people they represent. They’re planning for funding cuts that will hurt Wisconsin families and small businesses, just to turn around and give that money away through tax breaks that predominantly benefit the ultra-rich and big corporations.”
