ICYMI: At Farm Bill Listening Session, Molinaro hears from constituents on votes to strip benefits
NEW YORK – Over the weekend, HudsonValley360 covered Congressman Molinaro's listening session in Chatham, NY, on the upcoming Farm Bill. During public comments, he was confronted by a number of constituents on potential cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). REMINDER: Molinaro previously voted to make cuts to SNAP, putting food assistance at risk for 54,000 New Yorkers.
Read the full story here and find key points below:
HudsonValley360: Molinaro gets earful from local farmers
One of the most emphatic points Molinaro made during the session was that he has no plans to use the Farm Bill as leverage to make cuts in SNAP.
He said recent legislation emphasizing SNAP work requirements aims to provide SNAP recipients with wrap-around support that goes beyond just providing food.
Some in the audience said they know people who are being “sanctioned” for not meeting the requirements, and they argued that SNAP should be about feeding people, not forcing them to work.
They said people are afraid to come to SNAP agencies to apply for benefits for fear of being sanctioned, and they have difficulty with the application online, because they can’t afford the required technology. People on benefits are not trying to scam the system, they told Molinaro.
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Empire State Voices (ESV) is a multi-year campaign dedicated to amplifying the voices of everyday working New Yorkers. ESV is fighting for economic policies that make life more affordable for constituents and holding members of Congress across the state accountable when they fail to do the same.
