Casey urges Ag Progress Days crowd to oppose proposed SNAP changes
U.S. Senator Bob Casey talked with people after speaking at Penn State’s Ag Progress Days government and industry lunch Aug. 14, 2019. (Anne Danahy/WPSU)
(State College) — Democratic U.S. Senator Bob Casey warned those at Penn State’s Ag Progress Days Wednesday about proposed regulation changes to food assistance programs.
Last year, Congress passed and President Trump signed a bipartisan Farm Bill. It includes funding for SNAP — the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps.
“The legislative intent was ‘Don’t cut the SNAP program,’ and now they’re trying to do that, and we’ve got to fight hard against that,” Casey said.
Casey said SNAP helps not only the families who get assistance, but the economy of Pennsylvania and the nation.
The Trump Administration has proposed changing SNAP rules that would cut the number of families who get assistance by 3 million. That includes an estimated 200,000 in Pennsylvania.
“We don’t want to support a policy that takes school meals eligibility away from 500,000, half a million children, in the United States of America,” Casey said. “There’s no reason for it. There’s no fiscal reason for it, and there’s no policy reason for it.”
Casey called on those at a government and industry lunch to make their opinions known.
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