Foster Statement on GOP Farm Bill

Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) issued the following statement on the failure of the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, also known as the Farm Bill:

"I opposed the Republican Farm Bill because it fails hardworking families across America. The Farm Bill used to be a bipartisan piece of legislation that brought Republicans and Democrats together. But now Republicans have turned it into an attack on crucial benefits, including SNAP, that children, seniors, students, veterans, and working families need. Just a few months after Republicans gave a massive tax break to big corporations and the wealthy families, they crafted a destructive Farm Bill that leaves hardworking families out in the cold. I stand ready to work on legislation that honors our responsibilities to the millions of Americans who rely on the benefits that this legislation would have cut."

The legislation would have cut over $23 billion in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), cutting one million households off the program and reducing benefits to millions more. Children who receive benefits from SNAP score higher on tests and are more likely to graduate from high school.