2018: Fitzpatrick Voted For The Final 2018 Conference Report Farm Bill
Which Reauthorized Farm Programs And Food Stamps. In December 2018,
Fitzpatrick voted for the 2018 farm bill. According to Congressional
Quarterly, "Adoption of the conference report on the bill that would
reauthorize and extend federal farm and nutrition programs through
fiscal 2023, including crop subsidies, conservation, rural development
and agricultural trade programs and the Supplemental Nutritional
Assistance Program. It would reauthorize and extend supplemental
agricultural disaster assistance programs, sugar policies and loan
rates, several international food aid programs, nonrecourse marketing
assistance loans for loan commodities, and several dairy programs,
including the dairy risk management program (previously the margin
protection program). It would create new pilot programs that would test
strategies for improving the accuracy of the SNAP income verification
process. It would allow industrial hemp to be grown in the United
States, subject to close regulation at the state level. It would modify
the activities permitted on land contracted under the conservation
reserve program." The vote was on the conference report. The House
passed the legislation by a vote of 369 to 47. The Senate had earlier
passed the bill and was later signed into law by the president. [House
Vote 434, 12/12/18;
Congressional Quarterly, 12/12/18;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
2]
2018: Fitzpatrick Voted Against The House GOP's 2018 Farm Bill, Which
Reauthorized Farm Programs Such As Crop Subsidies And Reauthorized SNAP,
But With New Work Requirements. In June 2018, Fitzpatrick voted
against the House GOP Farm Bill. According to Congressional Quarterly,
"Passage of the bill that would reauthorize and extend federal farm and
nutrition programs through fiscal 2023, including crop subsidies,
conservation, rural development and agricultural trade programs and the
Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program. It would require
individuals receiving SNAP benefits, who are 18-59 years old, to work or
participate in work training programs for a minimum of 20 hours per
week, and would require the Department of Agriculture to establish a
database to track individuals receiving SNAP benefits. The bill would
reauthorize and extend supplemental agricultural disaster assistance
programs, the current sugar policies and loan rates, several
international food aid programs, nonrecourse marketing assistance loans
for loan commodities, several dairy programs, including the dairy risk
management program (previously the margin protection program) and would
modify certain utility standards in the Home Energy Assistance Program
to require SNAP benefits recipients to provide documentation of such
expenses in order to receive increased benefits using the Standard
Utility Allowance. The bill would authorize, with modifications, the
farm risk-management program, which gives agriculture producers a choice
of receiving price loss coverage or agriculture risk coverage, on a
covered-commodity-by-covered-commodity basis, for the 2019 through 2023
crop years. The bill would reauthorize several conservation programs,
and would increase the conservation reserve program from 24 to 29
million acres and reduce from 750,000 to 500,000 acres the cap for
Farmable Wetland Program enrollment. It would also increase the amount
authorized annually for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program for
the 2019 through 2023 crop years, with a maximum authorization of $3
billion in 2023. It would eliminate the conservation stewardship program
and would also allow the Environmental Protection Agency to determine
whether a pesticide is likely to jeopardize the survival of a federally
designated threatened or endangered species, or the habitat of such a
species, without having to consult with federal agencies." The vote was
on passage. The House adopted the bill by a vote of 213 to 211. A
modified version of the bill that did not include the GOP's work
requirements was later signed into law. [House Vote 284,
6/21/18; Congressional
Quarterly, 5/18/18; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
2]
SNAP Already Has Certain Work Requirements; Recipients Must For
Example, Accept A Job If Offered And Childless Adults Can Only
Receive Benefits If They Work At Least 20 Hours Per Week Or Face
Reduced Benefits. According to the Center on Budget And Policy
Priorities, "SNAP already requires working-age adults (with limited
exceptions) to register for work and accept a job if offered. States
can go further and impose very tough work requirements (up to 30
hours a week) and cut off benefits for people who don't comply. And,
individuals aged 18-49 without children can only participate for
three months out of every three years unless they are working 20
hours per week, a policy that has led many poor participants to lose
SNAP." [Center on Budget And Policy Priorities,
7/6/18]
House GOP Farm Bill Would Increase Work Requirements By Requiring
Many Beneficiaries, Even Those With Children Six And Older, Work At
Least 20 Hours, Were Part Of A Work Program, Or Received An
Exemption Every Month. According to the Center on Budget And
Policy Priorities, "The House bill would impose an even harsher
policy, requiring most adult SNAP participants, including parents
who have no children under age 6 and older workers up to age 60
(among others), to prove every month that they worked, participated
in a work program for at least 20 hours a week, or qualified for an
exemption. Workers whose employers don't provide enough hours or who
don't have paid sick leave, and recipients, including caregivers and
those with disabilities, who can't navigate a bureaucratic exemption
process could lose SNAP benefits." [Center on Budget And Policy
Priorities,
7/6/18]
Two Million Americans Would See Reduced Benefits. According to
House Democrats on the Budget committee, "Despite the benefits of
SNAP, the Republican farm bill would massively disrupt the current
program, forcing millions to face benefit cuts or lose benefits
entirely. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the
government will essentially save no money over the next ten years
under the GOP farm bill, but two million Americans would see their
benefits lowered or disappear completely." [House Budget Committee
Minority,
5/16/18]
2018: Fitzpatrick Voted Against The House GOP's 2018 Farm Bill, Which
Reauthorized Farm Programs Such As Crop Subsidies And Reauthorized SNAP
With New Work Requirements. In May 2018, Fitzpatrick voted against the
House GOP Farm Bill. According to Congressional Quarterly, "Passage of
the bill that would reauthorize and extend federal farm and nutrition
programs through fiscal 2023, including crop subsidies, conservation,
rural development and agricultural trade programs and the Supplemental
Nutritional Assistance Program. It would require individuals receiving
SNAP benefits, who are 18-59 years old, to work or participate in work
training programs for a minimum of 20 hours per week, and would require
the Department of Agriculture to establish a database to track
individuals receiving SNAP benefits. The bill would reauthorize and
extend supplemental agricultural disaster assistance programs, the
current sugar policies and loan rates, several international food aid
programs, nonrecourse marketing assistance loans for loan commodities,
several dairy programs, including the dairy risk management program
(previously the margin protection program) and would modify certain
utility standards in the Home Energy Assistance Program to require SNAP
benefits recipients to provide documentation of such expenses in order
to receive increased benefits using the Standard Utility Allowance. The
bill would authorize, with modifications, the farm risk-management
program, which gives agriculture producers a choice of receiving price
loss coverage or agriculture risk coverage, on a
covered-commodity-by-covered-commodity basis, for the 2019 through 2023
crop years. The bill would reauthorize several conservation programs,
and would increase the conservation reserve program from 24 to 29
million acres and reduce from 750,000 to 500,000 acres the cap for
Farmable Wetland Program enrollment. It would also increase the amount
authorized annually for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program for
the 2019 through 2023 crop years, with a maximum authorization of $3
billion in 2023. It would eliminate the conservation stewardship program
and would also allow the Environmental Protection Agency to determine
whether a pesticide is likely to jeopardize the survival of a federally
designated threatened or endangered species, or the habitat of such a
species, without having to consult with federal agencies." The vote was
on passage. The House rejected the bill by a vote of 198 to 213. The
House later took a revote several weeks later and passed the bill. A
modified version of the bill that did not include the GOP's work
requirements was later signed into law. [House Vote 205,
5/18/18; Congressional
Quarterly, 5/18/18; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
2]
SNAP Already Has Certain Work Requirements; Recipients Must For
Example, Accept A Job If Offered And Childless Adults Can Only
Receive Benefits If They Work At Least 20 Hours Per Week Or Face
Reduced Benefits. According to the Center on Budget And Policy
Priorities, "SNAP already requires working-age adults (with limited
exceptions) to register for work and accept a job if offered. States
can go further and impose very tough work requirements (up to 30
hours a week) and cut off benefits for people who don't comply. And,
individuals aged 18-49 without children can only participate for
three months out of every three years unless they are working 20
hours per week, a policy that has led many poor participants to lose
SNAP." [Center on Budget And Policy Priorities,
7/6/18]
House GOP Farm Bill Would Increase Work Requirements By Requiring
Many Beneficiaries, Even Those With Children Six And Older, Work At
Least 20 Hours, Were Part Of A Work Program, Or Received An
Exemption Every Month. According to the Center on Budget And
Policy Priorities, "The House bill would impose an even harsher
policy, requiring most adult SNAP participants, including parents
who have no children under age 6 and older workers up to age 60
(among others), to prove every month that they worked, participated
in a work program for at least 20 hours a week, or qualified for an
exemption. Workers whose employers don't provide enough hours or who
don't have paid sick leave, and recipients, including caregivers and
those with disabilities, who can't navigate a bureaucratic exemption
process could lose SNAP benefits." [Center on Budget And Policy
Priorities,
7/6/18]
Two Million Americans Would See Reduced Benefits. According to
House Democrats on the Budget committee, "Despite the benefits of
SNAP, the Republican farm bill would massively disrupt the current
program, forcing millions to face benefit cuts or lose benefits
entirely. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the
government will essentially save no money over the next ten years
under the GOP farm bill, but two million Americans would see their
benefits lowered or disappear completely." [House Budget Committee
Minority,
5/16/18]
2017: Fitzpatrick Voted Against The FY 2018 Republican Study Committee
Budget Resolution Which In Part Called For Block Granting Food Stamps.
In October 2017, Fitzpatrick voted against a budget resolution that
would in part, according to Congressional Quarterly, "provide for $2.9
trillion in new budget authority in fiscal 2018. It would balance the
budget by fiscal 2023 by reducing spending by $10.1 trillion over 10
years. It would cap total discretionary spending at $1.06 trillion for
fiscal 2018 and would assume no separate Overseas Contingency Operations
funding for fiscal 2018 or subsequent years and would incorporate
funding related to war or terror into the base defense account. It would
assume repeal of the 2010 health care overhaul and would convert
Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program into a single block
grant program. It would require that off budget programs, such as Social
Security, the U.S. Postal Service, and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, be
included in the budget." The underlying legislation was an FY 2018 House
GOP budget resolution. The House rejected the RSC budget by a vote of
139 to 281. [House Vote 555,
10/5/17; Congressional
Quarterly, 10/5/17; Congressional
Actions, H. Amdt.
455;
Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res.
71]