WASHINGTON (March 9, 2020) – Ohio Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge, Chair of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations, issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Thursday announcement on pending publication of a proposed rule to modify employment and training programs for recipients of benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP):

“We saw big headlines last week regarding changes to the SNAP employment and training program to be rolled out by USDA. We understand that the proposed rule shared by the Department last Thursday implements changes to the employment and training program included in the 2018 Farm Bill.

“The timing, however, leaves us to wonder if the Administration has any idea what it’s doing. If their priority is to truly help people find and secure long-term employment, the Administration would have prioritized improving SNAP employment and training programs. Instead, it chose to first finalize a rule in December that strips benefits from 700,000 participants who fall short of meeting certain work requirements starting on April 1. While I’m glad to see the Administration finally issuing a regulation aligned with congressional intent in the farm bill, this latest rule is simply too little too late.  

“It’s worth noting in the same farm bill, Congress overwhelmingly rejected the House Republican proposals that laid the groundwork for the Administration’s work to kick over 4 million people off SNAP under the guise of regulatory reform.

“I intend to work with my Democratic colleagues to continue to hold the Administration accountable and put a stop to its attack on hungry people.”