Lawmaker looks to split farm, food stamp provisions in the farm bill

“Right now, this trillion-dollar spending package is a farm bill in name only,” Stutzman said Monday. “Congress must remove welfare provisions from the farm bill and give taxpayers the honest debate they deserve on both.

{mosads}”It’s simple: food stamp policy isn’t farm policy. Yet, most Americans are shocked to learn that about 80 percent of the farm bill’s spending goes to Washington’s out-of-control food stamp program.”

Many Democrats are expected to oppose the farm bill when it comes up for a vote later this week, as it would cut about $2 billion per year from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which used to be called the food stamp program.

However, many Republicans are arguing that the bill spends far too much, and essentially locks in higher spending levels created by the 2009 stimulus bill.

The House Rules Committee will meet on Tuesday afternoon to decide which amendments can be made in order during this week’s floor debate. As of late Monday, more than 200 amendments had been proposed.