Rep. Jim Costa Calls for Return to Farm Bill Negotiations After Republicans Pushed $300 Billion SNAP Cuts

WASHINGTON – Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21) released the following statement after the House Agriculture Committee held its full committee markup of the Republicans’ partisan reconciliation bill, which directs over $300 billion in cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as “Cal-Fresh” in California. 
 
“House Republicans just pushed a budget blueprint that guts SNAP and weakens America’s safety net that millions of Americans rely on. Food is a national security issue, and we must treat it as such. These cuts are real, and they hurt families in the San Joaquin Valley and across the country,” said Congressman Costa.“SNAP doesn’t just feed families; it supports the farmers and producers who grow our food. Instead of working together, Republicans shut House Democrats out and ignored the needs of the people we represent. Democrats remain committed to governing responsibly, and that starts with returning to the table to deliver a bipartisan Farm Bill.”
 
BACKGROUND
In California’s 21st Congressional District, home to some of the most productive farmland in the world, nearly 30% of households rely on SNAP benefits to put food on the table. If these proposed cuts are enacted, more than 131,000 people in Costa's district, many of them children and seniors, will be directly impacted.