Dallas City Wire

WASHINGTON – On May 18, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (TX-30) joined House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member David Scott in denouncing the announcement of a bill by Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee that would make devastating cuts to the United States Department of Agriculture and the programs it administers.

Rep. Crockett: “House Republican plans to slash USDA funding are a direct attack on the people they purport to represent - rural communities, farmers, and small businesses. These proposed cuts, over $6.25 billion from USDA funds, could not come at a worse time as American farmers and ranchers struggle to cover input costs and recover from pandemic-era supply chain issues. These devastating cuts at this critical time are a sure-fire way to disadvantage our small, local growers and 'give away the farm' to corporate and foreign agricultural producers.

“Additionally, Republican appropriators would cut WIC benefits for 5 million women and children and put SNAP benefits at risk for 1 million seniors. For the millions of American families struggling to cover inflated food prices, these cuts are a twist of the knife.This Republican bill would push more Americans to the brink of starvation. And all of this at the same time that the Agriculture Committees are working on the new farm bill, something we only get a chance at every five years."

“This proposal is a cruel joke on America's farmers and families, and House Agriculture Democrats won't go along with it.”

The cuts include:

• $500 million from the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).
• $3.25 billion intended for rural electric cooperative funding.
• $2 billion in assistance to distressed borrowers through the Farm Service Agency.

Additionally, the bill would severely limit the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture to assist farmers by curtailing his use of the Commodity Credit Corporation—taking away a tool from farmers and jeopardizing the safety of our planet.

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Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett represents portions of Dallas and Tarrant Counties, with the cities of Dallas, Grand Prairie, DeSoto, Cedar Hill, Lancaster, Duncanville, Glenn Heights, Hutchins, Wilmer, Arlington, Ovilla, and Seagoville.

Original source can be found here.