Heritage Foundation President Kay Coles James released the following statement in advance of the House Agriculture Committee’s hearing Wednesday on the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018.

 

“The House Agriculture Committee is right to set a goal for improving work requirements for households receiving food stamps. Work requirements help the welfare system achieve its goal of reducing poverty while strengthening adult and child well-being. Work requirements should be strengthened to ensure the bill provides reasonable and effective work provisions that enable more able-bodied adults to work while not further exacerbating the program’s marriage penalties.

 

“Separately, the Agriculture Committee’s farm bill continues wasteful subsidy programs and has therefore missed an opportunity to make needed changes. For example, the President and lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have offered solutions that would begin fixing those programs, such as a reduction of premium subsidies for crop insurance and the elimination of supply controls including marketing allotments in the federal sugar program.

 

“The coming weeks and months allow for changes to be made to ensure this legislation addresses the needs of American farmers, helps lift low-income people out of poverty, and ensures that taxpayer resources are put to the very best use. We look forward to the serious and open discussions that will enable these important goals to be achieved.”