Congresswoman Simon Opposes Republican Budget Bill in Oversight Committee and Offers Amendment to Protect Americans’ Access to SNAP

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, in the House Oversight Committee, Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) strongly opposed House Republicans’ reconciliation bill, which would include $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid, $230 billion in cuts to food assistance, increase the costs of everyday essentials, and continue the Trump Administration’s attacks on the federal workforce. 

House Republican leadership have directed the House Oversight Committee to make $50 billion in cuts, which would largely threaten the take-home pay, benefits, and workforce protections for the federal workforce. Congresswoman Simon forcefully spoke against these cuts and the Republican reconciliation bill in committee. 

Congresswoman Simon also offered an amendment to the reconciliation bill that would cause Republican budget cuts to immediately expire if the Administration makes any cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). All Committee Republicans, except for one, voted against Congresswoman Simon’s amendment to protect SNAP. 

During the Oversight Committee Markup, Congresswoman Simon stated: 

“I have made a promise to my constituents and all Americans that I would do everything possible in my power to protect our social safety net. My amendment today is about the belief that food is a basic, basic human right, and that all human rights cannot just be stripped away with the stroke of a pen. 

“This is a promise that no one will be hungry  from losing their SNAP benefits, and any reduction in these benefits or services protected would be the difference in being able to buy groceries, pay for rent and utilities, and afford health care that so many vulnerable Americans and families face every single day, including the working people that we’re talking about today.

“We don’t want to have a hungrier America. It’s plain and simple for the poorest among us. For the poorest among us, the ones who work with their bodies, and their children who are suffering, because we’re saying ‘Food Banks Go to Hell. Working people who have hungry children, we’re not going to worry about you.’ All I’m saying in this amendment is, please with all that we have – don’t touch the stomachs of poor children.”

###