Arise Citizens’ Policy Project executive director Kimble Forrister issued the following statement Wednesday, June 13, 2018, in response to the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee’s vote to approve a Farm Bill that protects and strengthens the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP):

“SNAP plays a vital role in feeding tens of millions of children, parents, seniors, people with disabilities, and working people with low pay and inconsistent hours. We applaud the Senate Agriculture Committee’s approval of a Farm Bill that protects this essential investment. SNAP is an effective tool to reduce hunger and poverty, and protecting and strengthening it – not cutting it as proposed in the House Farm Bill – is the right way forward.

“The bipartisan Senate bill does not take food assistance away from eligible households. Instead, it builds on SNAP’s strong history as a work support by allowing more states to participate in SNAP employment and training pilot programs and by dedicating more funding to pilot work programs. These changes will help ensure that investments in job training are proven to work before they are expanded on a larger scale.

“Alabamians across the political spectrum have long agreed that we share a responsibility to keep our neighbors from going hungry. We urge Senators Doug Jones and Richard Shelby to support the Senate Farm Bill that strengthens SNAP and makes meaningful investments in job training for low-wage SNAP participants. We also urge Senators Jones and Shelby to oppose any floor amendments that would cut SNAP or make harmful changes to take away food assistance from struggling families who need help.”