2025: Schweikert Voted Against Combatting The Rapid Ohi'a Death Disease Impacting Ohi'a Trees In Hawaii. In January 2025, Schweikert voted against , according to Congressional Quarterly, "the bill that would require the Interior Department to partner and collaborate with the Agriculture Department and the state of Hawaii to address and support sustained efforts to combat the "Rapid Ohi'a Death" fungal disease affecting the state's Ohi'a tree population. The Interior Department also would be required to continue collaborative research on disease vectors and transmission, and to partner with federal, state and local stakeholders to manage certain large animals in ROD control areas. The Agriculture Department would be required to provide financial and staff support to prevent the spread of the disease." The House passed the bill by a vote of 359 to 62. [House Vote 24, 1/23/25; Congressional Quarterly, 1/23/25; Congressional Actions, H.R. 375]
2022: Schweikert Voted Against Authorizing Up To $57.8 Billion For Farm Loans. In July 2022, according to Congressional Quarterly, Schweikert voted against the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2023, which would "authorize up to $57.8 billion for farm loans." The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote 220-207, thus the bill was sent to the Senate. The Senate did not take substantive action on the legislation. Congress passed and signed into law the FY 2023 Budget through H.R. 2617. The Senate did not take substantive action on the legislation. Congress passed and signed into law the FY 2023 Budget through H.R. 2617. [House Vote 383, 7/20/22; Congressional Quarterly, 7/20/22; Congressional Actions, H.R. 8294]
2022: Schweikert Voted Against The FY 2023 Omnibus Spending Package, Which Provided $25.5 Billion For The Department Of Agriculture And Related Agencies. In December 2022, according to Congressional Quarterly, Schweikert voted against concurring with the Senate amendment to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, which would "provide approximately $25.5 billion for the Agriculture Department and related agencies; $82.4 billion for the Commerce and Justice departments and science and related agencies; $797.7 billion for the Defense Department; $54 billion for the Energy Department and federal water projects; $27.6 billion for the Treasury Department, federal judiciary and a number of executive agencies; $60.7 billion for the Homeland Security Department; $38.9 billion for the Interior Department, EPA and related agencies; $207.4 billion for the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education departments and related agencies; $6.9 billion for legislative branch entities; $154.2 billion for the Veterans Affairs Department, military construction, and related agencies; $59.7 billion for the State Department and related agencies; and $87.3 billion for the Transportation and Housing and Urban Development departments and related agencies." The vote was on a motion to concur. The House concurred with the Senate amendment by a vote of 225-201, thus bill was sent to President Biden and ultimately became law. [House Vote 549, 12/23/22; Congressional Quarterly, 12/23/22; Congressional Actions, S.Amdt. 6552; Congressional Actions, H.R. 2617]
Starting In The Summer Of 2024, The FY 2023 Omnibus Would Create A Nationwide Summer EBT Program, Which Would Provide Eligible Children Free Or Reduced-Price School Meals With A $40 Grocery Benefit Per Eligible Child Every Month. According to CNN, "The legislation establishes a permanent nationwide Summer EBT program, starting in the summer of 2024, according to Share Our Strength, an anti-hunger advocacy group. It will provide families whose children are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals with a $40 grocery benefit per child per month, indexed to inflation." [CNN, 12/29/22]
The FY 2023 Omnibus Allowed Children To Take Home Or Have Their Summer Meals Delivered Instead Of Requiring Their Consumption At A Certain Time Or Site. According to CNN, "It also changes the rules governing summer meals programs in rural areas. Children will be able to take home or receive delivery of up to 10 days' worth of meals, rather than have to consume the food at a specific site and time." [CNN, 12/29/22]
In Order To Address "SNAP Skimming," The FY 2023 Omnibus Allowed Families To Seek Retroactive Federal Reimbursement For Food Stamp Benefits That Were Stolen. According to CNN, "The law also helps families who have had their food stamp benefits stolen since October 1 through what's known as 'SNAP skimming.' It provides them with retroactive federal reimbursement of the funds, which criminals steal by attaching devices to point-of-sale machines or PIN pads to get card numbers and other information from electronic benefits transfer cards." [CNN, 12/29/22]
The FY 2023 Omnibus Included The Sustain Act, Which Would Allow The Department Of Agriculture To "Make More Use Of Private Contributions For Conservation Programs." According to E&E News, "Thompson also secured inclusion of a bill into the omnibus he'd introduced in 2021. It would enable USDA to make more use of private contributions for conservation programs. The bill passed the Agriculture Committee earlier this year (E&E Daily, Sept 23). That measure, the 'Sustains Act,' H.R. 2606, got a few tweaks before inclusion into the package, aides said. Mainly, the changes would resolve technical questions raised by USDA, they said." [E&E News, 12/20/22]
2022: Schweikert Voted Against Appropriating $198.6 Billion To The Agriculture Department For FY 2023, Including $111 Billion For SNAP, $29.9 Billion For Farm Support And Conversation Programs, $28.6 Billion For School Nutrition Programs, And $4.2 Billion For Rural Development Activities. In July 2022, according to Congressional Quarterly, Schweikert voted against the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2023, which would "provide $198.6 billion in mandatory and discretionary funding for the Agriculture Department and federal food programs, including $111 billion for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, $29.9 billion for farm support and conservation programs, $28.6 billion for school nutrition programs and $4.2 billion for rural development activities." The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote 220-207, thus the bill was sent to the Senate. The Senate did not take substantive action on the legislation. Congress passed and signed into law the FY 2023 Budget through H.R. 2617. [House Vote 383, 7/20/22; Congressional Quarterly, 7/20/22; Congressional Actions, H.R. 8294]
2021: Schweikert Voted Against The American Rescue Plan Act Of 2021, Which Provided The Agriculture Department With $4 Billion In Pandemic-Related Assistance. In March 2021, Schweikert voted against concurring in the Senate amendment to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 which would, according to Congressional Quarterly, "provide $4 billion for Agriculture Department pandemic-related assistance." The vote was on concurring in the Senate amendment to the bill. The House concurred with the Senate by a vote of 220-211 and sent to the President and ultimately the bill became law. [House Vote 72, 3/10/21; Congressional Quarterly, 3/10/21; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1319]
The American Rescue Plan Provided $4 Billion For Debt Relief, Grants, Training, And Land Assistance To Socially-Disadvantaged Farmers, Which 25% Are Black Farmers. According to the Center For Health Law And Policy Innovation, "One of the most notable provisions is that $4 billion will go towards providing debt relief, grants, training, and other forms of land assistance to socially-disadvantaged farmers, a quarter of whom are Black." [Center For Health Law And Policy Innovation, 4/7/21]
Advocates Claimed The American Rescue Plan Was The Most Important Legislation Regarding "Black Land Ownership" Due To Black Farmers Having "Lost More Than 12 Million Acres Of Farmland, Mainly Since The 1950s." According to the Center For Health Law And Policy Innovation, "A socially disadvantaged farmer is one who has been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudices because of their identity as a member of a group without regard to their individual qualities.[14] Due to systemic racism and discrimination in regards to credit and loans, Black farmers have lost more than 12 million acres of farmland, mainly since the 1950s.[15] Some are touting this as the most significant piece of legislation for black land ownership in the country." [Center For Health Law And Policy Innovation, 4/7/21]
The American Rescue Plan Provided An Additional $1 Billion For Land Grant Institutions And Groups That Provide Support To Farmers Of Color. According to the Center For Health Law And Policy Innovation, "An additional $1 billion will be directed towards land grant institutions and other organizations that give assistance to farmers of color." [Center For Health Law And Policy Innovation, 4/7/21]
The American Rescue Plan Provided $3.6 Billion To Support Food Supply Chains That Were Affected By The Pandemic. According to the Center For Health Law And Policy Innovation, "The USDA will be provided $3.6 billion to go towards supporting food supply chains that have been impacted by the pandemic, with language similar to that included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act that went to support ongoing operations of the Farmers to Families Food Box program." [Center For Health Law And Policy Innovation, 4/7/21]
The American Rescue Plan Reserved $300 Million For Monitoring COVID Infections In Animals And $100 Million To Decrease Fees Related To "Federal Inspections Of Small Meat, Poultry, And Egg Processing Facilitates." According to the Center For Health Law And Policy Innovation, "Other agricultural and food chain assistance include $300 million for monitoring efforts of SARS-CoV-2 in animals and $100 million to reduce fees associated with federal inspections of small meat, poultry, and egg processing facilities." [Center For Health Law And Policy Innovation, 4/7/21]
2019: Schweikert Voted Against The FY 2020 Minibus Appropriations Bill, Which Provided $154 Billion In Discretionary Funding For The USDA And FDA And Cut Funding For Crop Insurance By 35% From FY 2019. In December 2019, Schweikert voted against the FY 2020 minibus spending bill, which represented 8 of the 12 appropriations bills. According to Congressional Quarterly, the bill "provides $154 billion for the Agriculture Department (USDA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other covered agencies --- $1.3 billion (1$) more than comparable FY 2019 funding [...] The bill provides the requested $26.3 billion in mandatory funding (18% more than FY 2019) to reimburse the CCC for expenditures previously incurred by the CCC to finance farm price supports, export promotion, disposition of surplus commodities and other programs. Similarly, it provides the requested $10 billion for crop insurance, 35% less than FY 2019. It includes $1.1 billion for the Farm Service Agency (4% more than FY 2019), and would support $8.4 billion in loans to farmers through the Agricultural Credit Insurance Fund. It appropriates $187 million (18% more than FY 2019) for USDA marketing programs, $3.2 billion to support the Agriculture Research Service (5% less than FY 2019), $1.0 billion for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (3% more), and $1.1 billion for food safety inspections (slightly more than FY 2019 levels). It also includes $1.0 billion for various USDA conservation and watershed rehabilitation programs, a 3.6% increase from FY 2019." 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]