Lujan Grisham Votes Against Farm Bill That Strips Out Nutrition Assistance

Statement

U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-01), a member of the House Agriculture Committee, released the following statement after voting against the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act (H.R. 2642), a partisan farm bill which passed the House by a margin of 216-208 without a single Democratic vote:

"I am appalled that House Republicans have rammed through a disastrous, partisan farm bill that harms New Mexico's farmers, ranchers, consumers, children and families.

"This so-called "farm bill' is so bad that over 500 agriculture groups oppose it. By completely eliminating important provisions authorizing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other nutrition programs, House Republicans have ensured that this bill has no chance of becoming law. Making SNAP vulnerable to deep cuts not only harms the over 442,000 New Mexicans -- half of whom are children -- who rely on SNAP to put food on the table, but also hurts the farmers and ranchers who produce that food. House Republicans also stripped out the Dairy Stabilization Program, which would have provided vital support for New Mexico dairy farmers.

"For decades, a comprehensive and bipartisan approach to the farm bill has brought members of Congress from across the country -- both rural and urban -- together on food policy. But with this vote, House Republicans have chosen partisanship and politics over New Mexico's farmers, ranchers and consumers."

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