The U.S. House Committee on Agriculture today will mark up farm bill reauthorization legislation. Essential nutrition and anti-hunger programs are projected to constitute more than four-fifths of the full cost of the legislation, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentives Program (GusNIP) and other crucial programs. The American Heart Association, a global force changing the future of health for all, issued the following statement in response:
"The farm bill presents one of the most important opportunities Congress has to strengthen the health and well-being of people nationwide. Several provisions in the House Agriculture Committee legislative text represent positive steps toward expanding access to nutritious foods and maintaining federal nutrition programs that millions of children, older adults, people with disabilities and chronic conditions and working families depend on. We are encouraged to see bill provisions such as eliminating the match requirement for high-poverty areas in GusNIP and granting permanent authority for the SNAP online pilot, which would expand access to healthy foods nationwide.
"At the same time, the American Heart Association is disappointed the bill failed to address the disruptive cuts made to SNAP and SNAP Education (SNAP-Ed) contained in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Reversing these ill-conceived changes is essential to restore access to nutritious foods for the people and households who rely on these programs. Without Congressional action, too many individuals and families will continue to face unnecessary barriers to healthy foods.
"The American Heart Association urges lawmakers to put health first by passing a farm bill that elevates the needs of people across the country, restores SNAP and SNAP-Ed and rejects provisions that jeopardize access to nutritious foods."
