Democrats and Republicans in the House of Representatives sparred this week over the future of a food aid program that benefits millions of Americans as part of a must-pass twice-per-decade package of agriculture and food policy known as the farm bill.

What You Need To Know

  • The House Committee on Agriculture met this week to debate and vote on the $1.5 trillion farm bill, a package of legislation that governs agriculture and food policy

  • The House’s version of the omnibus bill freezes increases to funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which provides food assistance to low- and no-income individuals, and reallocates $20 billion provided by President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act intended for climate-conscious farming

  • Democrats cried foul at what they described as Republicans’ attempts to slash SNAP funding, which benefits more than 41 million Americans; Republicans contend that they are not reducing current SNAP levels, but want to freeze the current list of covered products — and the values allowed to purchase them — at present levels

  • The Republican-led panel advanced the farm bill late Thursday night with a handful of Democratic members joining their GOP counterparts to send it to the full House

The House Committee on Agriculture met this week to debate and vote on the $1.5 trillion measure. The last farm bill was signed into law in 2018 and expired in 2023; President Joe Biden signed a bill last year that extended the 2018 bill’s benefits until mid-September.

Oklahoma Rep. Frank Lucas, a Republican who previously chaired the Agriculture Committee, hailed the bill’s “historic investments in the farm safety net,” as well as its expansion of access to “locally led incentive-based conservation programs” and backing of agricultural research.

And Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson, R-Pa., said it “bolsters every aspect of American agriculture.”

But the topic of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which provides food assistance to low- and no-income individuals, was a contentious one, with both sides pointing the finger at one another over disparities in funding for the program.

The House’s version of the omnibus bill freezes increases to SNAP funding and reallocates $20 billion provided by President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act intended for climate-conscious farming.

The panel’s ranking Democratic member, Georgia Rep. David Scott, called the bill “misguided” and “in some aspects … mean-spirited.”

Democrats cried foul at what they described as Republicans’ attempts to slash SNAP funding, which benefits more than 41 million Americans.

“This bill will hurt every SNAP recipient in future years,” said Massachusetts Rep. Jim McGovern, a Democrat. “Kids, seniors, people with disabilities, vulnerable adults.”

They took issue with a proposal from Maryland Republican Rep. Andy Harris, which would essentially place restrictions on what kinds of foods SNAP recipients can purchase to favor healthier eating options. Democratic lawmakers said that’s not always feasible due to a lack of access.

“Though it tells poor people what to eat, it does little to address the underlying challenges that we face in fighting hunger,” said Rep. Sanford Bishop, a Georgia Democrat.

Republicans contend that they are not reducing current SNAP levels, but want to freeze the current list of covered products — and the values allowed to purchase them — at present levels.

“Some have chosen to selectively look at one facet of the safety net improvements and are using that to sow discord between the producers of different commodities,” said Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga.

“I served for 26 years in the United States military, oftentimes below the poverty level and using these programs,” said Wisconsin Rep. Derrick Van Orden, another Republican. “I will not be lectured to by people who are saying that I’m trying to cut these benefits. It’s not true and it’s disingenuous.”

But, he added: “Every single dollar that goes to waste, fraud, abuse for these SNAP programs is a dollar that cannot go to feed a hungry child.”

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told reporters this week that some of the cuts in the House GOP’s proposal to fund other priorities in the bill, like increased subsidies to farmers, are being paid for by “counterfeit money,” citing a recent Congressional Budget Office which says the bill could add $37-39 billion to the federal deficit over the next decade.

“You can’t rob Peter to pay Paul,” Vilsack said to reporters. (A spokesperson for Thompson dismissed the findings as “preliminary” to Punchbowl News.)

Still, the Republican-led panel advanced the farm bill late Thursday night with a handful of Democratic members voting to send it to the full House. The measure passed out of committee in a 33-21 vote, with four Democrats joining Republicans.

It’s unclear if the chambers will be able to reconcile their differences on the measure. Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow, who chairs the Senate Agriculture Committee, said in a statement that “key parts of the House bill split the Farm Bill coalition in a way that makes it impossible to achieve the votes to become law.”

“We do not have time to waste on proposals that cannot meet that goal,” Stabenow said in a statement after the House bill advanced. “I have always believed there is a bipartisan path forward if we maintain the long tradition of respecting the needs and interests of the broad farm and food coalition. This has always been the foundation of a successful Farm Bill.”

Provisions of the current farm bill expire on Sept. 20.