Congressman Panetta makes statement on Farm Bill vote

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Jimmy Panetta (CA-20) released the following statement on Saturday, May 19                                    about the Farm Bill vote that occurred on Friday, May 18 in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Congressman Panetta said that, "the failure of the Farm Bill on the House floor yesterday was due to a flawed process and unnecessary partisanship. Although historically bipartisan, the Agriculture Committee became partisan when the Majority decided to put forward and hastily pass an underfunded Farm Bill, and insist on unproven and untested changes to the bill's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Despite its lack of proper investments in critical programs for specialty crops, organics, and beginning farmers and any evidence to support such serious modifications to SNAP, the bill passed out of the committee on a party line vote. Once the politically-driven and policy-flawed bill reached the House floor, it rightfully failed to attract enough support to pass.

"I voted against the bill because I believe that it was based on politics rather than the procedure of holding hearings to gather supportive evidence in a bipartisan manner, which is normally found in the Agriculture Committee and necessary for such a major piece of legislation like the Farm Bill. Our farmers and those facing hunger in our communities deserve better and depend on Congress to do better together. I hope the Majority now invites both parties to the negotiating table for open and meaningful conversation and compromise. I am ready to work with his colleagues on both sides of the aisle to produce a Farm Bill that supports our farmers, grows our agriculture industry, and tackles hunger across our country.”