2019: Fitzpatrick Voted For The FY 2020 Minibus Appropriations Bill,
Which Reduced Spending On Domestic Food Assistance Programs Such As SNAP
By 5% from FY 2019 Levels. In December 2019, Fitzpatrick voted for the
FY 2020 minibus spending bill, which represented 8 of the 12
appropriations bills. According to Congressional Quarterly, "The bill
provides a total of $96 billion for Agriculture Department domestic
food assistance programs --- $5.2 billion (5%) less than FY 2019. Those
programs include the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP,
previously known as food stamps), the school lunch and breakfast
programs, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women,
Infants and Children (WIC). Except for WIC, the programs are primarily
financed with mandatory funding. Specifically, it includes $67.9
billion in required mandatory spending for SNAP (7.6% less than FY 2019)
and $23.6 billion in mandatory spending for Child Nutrition Programs
(2% more). It includes $6 billion in discretionary funding for WIC (1%
less). It also increases funding for the McGovern-Dole International
Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program providing $220 million
(a 5% increase over FY 2019), and it provides $1.7 billion for the PL
480 Food for Peace grant program (a 15% increase), which provides
commodities to developing nations and emerging democracies." The vote
was a motion to concur in the Senate amendment. The House agreed to the
motion by a vote of 297-120. The Senate later passed the bill and the
President signed the bill into law. [House Vote 689,
12/17/19; Congressional
Quarterly, 12/17/19;
Congressional Actions,
H.R.1865]