During a House Democratic press briefing on Tuesday, Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN) spoke about the Republicans' budget resolution.
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00:00I will yield now to the ranking member of the Agriculture Committee, who's going to talk about the snap cuts.
00:10Well, thank you so much.
00:11It's certainly an honor to be able to stand with my colleagues here today and an honor, Leader Jeffries,
00:19to be able to stand up for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in this country.
00:24You know, our Republican colleagues, as you all know, have indicated that they want to cut $230 billion from the snap program.
00:36Doing that would roll back.
00:38Just think about this for a minute.
00:40The snap program provides $6.20 on average to hungry Americans.
00:46That would roll that back to five bucks at a time when the nation's food costs are out of control
00:54and the president and this administration promised that this would be their number one priority.
00:59This hasn't even risen to any priority within this administration.
01:05Now, the Ag Committee, my majority, and Chairman Thompson, they keep hoping and praying that the Senate will save them.
01:15Folks, the Senate's not going to save you.
01:16This committee is actually going to be asked, I believe, next week to cut more than $230 billion
01:24because now they want to roll essentially part of the farm bill into reconciliation,
01:30which means they're going to have to cut even more from snap in order to achieve this.
01:35So let me be clear about all of this.
01:38Many of the ideas coming out of Republicans on this committee, just a 10% cost share,
01:45if they choose to move in that direction, is a $400 million a year hit to the state of Pennsylvania.
01:55It is $4.27 billion over the next 10 years.
01:59So my colleagues, they truly have a choice here.
02:02They've said that they don't want to cut snap benefits.
02:05And truly, I believe that Chairman Thompson does not want to.
02:10But I also believe that Chairman Thompson is going to be rolled by Republican leadership,
02:17is going to be rolled by the White House.
02:20If this administration truly cares about family farmers, let me tell you this.
02:26Cutting snap by $230 billion is a direct cut of $30 billion to farm income in our country.
02:35And that doesn't even include the money that goes into snap for the truck drivers who drive the food to the stores,
02:44the retailers, and especially in rural communities across our country, who sell that food.
02:51And, of course, the hungry Americans and Minnesotans who rely on that,
02:56which are principally 70% veterans, seniors, and children in our country.
03:02And, by the way, SNAP already has work requirements.
03:07So do not allow my Republican colleagues to try to characterize this as anything but taking food out of the mouths of hungry children in our country.
03:18I have four Republicans in Minnesota, four Republican congressmen and women.
03:23Last week, I decided that I would go around the state of Minnesota and I would do town halls in each of their Republican districts.
03:32And I can tell you cuts to Medicaid and cuts to SNAP were two of the most concerning issues that their constituents raised to me
03:41because they won't show up and do their own town hall.
03:45So I say to you, I'm not looking for four Republicans in this country.
03:50I'm looking for four patriots in this country.
03:53Four Republicans.
03:54That's all we have to find.
03:58And, folks, if we can't find four patriots left in our nation to put their money where their mouth is
04:03and sign on to this discharge petition, then that is a truly sad day in America and a truly sad day for the Republican Party.
04:14And I'll turn it back over to Leader Jeffries for comments.