Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson issued the following statement after House Republicans failed to secure the votes needed to pass its partisan Farm Bill:
"Today a bipartisan group of lawmakers rejected the Republican Farm Bill. Some voted against this punitive legislation for all the wrong reasons, but I am pleased that at least for now struggling families have been spared its adverse ramifications.
"Last year, SNAP helped 3,187,000 Florida residents put food on the table. More than 62 percent of SNAP participants in our state include families with children and 35 percent are part of families with elderly or disabled members. Nationwide, hundreds of thousands of children would have lost their access to the free school meals that are so critical to their ability to learn and their overall well-being. Seniors, veterans, servicemembers and hardworking families also would have been adversely impacted by this inhumane bill.
"I urge my Republican lawmakers to work with Democrats to craft a bill that honors our commitment to secure our constituents' well-being."
