Food Stamps

The Senate has voted down the farm bill amendment that would repeal the food stamp program. A few days, the Senate finally tabled a farm bill amendment that would repeal the federal SNAP and replace with a state block grant system. The vote was 65 to 33 on the motion to table the amendment to the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2012. The vote came after another chamber also tabled another amendment that was trying to repeal the subsidy program for sugar crop farmers. Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky) said that the amendment was not meant to be a cold shoulder for the poor, but that was exactly how many had looked at the attempt to take away food stamp benefits.

“Should you buy junk food on food stamps? Should you get to go to McDonald’s on food stamps?” Paul asked. “It’s out of control. It’s not about helping those in need. It’s about being wise with the taxpayer dollars, it’s about being wise with the taxpayer dollars and not giving people $20,000 a year in food stamps. We need to give it only to people who can’t work, those who are in need, and those who are able bodied. But we’re giving it to millionaires.”

Not sure who Rand Paul is talking about in this statement. Food stamps aren’t allowed for use at McDonald’s, let alone any hot food establishment or restaurant unless for certain organizations that are non-profit and made to help the extremely needy, such as elderly or homeless people. In addition, people don’t receive $20,000 a year in food stamps. The average is just over a $1 a door for most food stamps recipients, so about $365 a year. In addition, there was only one person who tried to use food stamps after winning the lottery, which eventually would have made her a millionaire, but she was removed from the program. Is Paul out of it or what?

In addition, Paul’s amendment would have allowed each state to decide how to apportion funding to the block grant system as long as the respective states followed a specific formula. According to Paul’s office, $322 billion would have been saved through this amendment, though it would have left many Americans without a daily meal.

Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich) was a co-sponsor of the farm bill flat out called the amendment outrageous.

“I strongly oppose this amendment, I urge my colleagues to table it,” Stabenow said ahead of the vote. “This amendment is outrageous and would go completely against the commitment we as a country have made to help those who truly need it. I would urge that we vote ‘yes’ to table this amendment.”

Frankly, it’s appalling that an amendment could have simply wiped away years of assistance for America’s needy.