Vilsack talks farm bill on C-SPAN
November 04, 2013 | 03:22 PM
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack urged passage of the farm bill in an interview on C-SPAN on Friday.
Vilsack criticized the House-passed proposals to end categorical eligibility for food stamp beneficiaries, saying it would take needy people off the program and cause additional expense to the states.
He was also critical of the House approach to work assistance, but said he believes the tie between the Low-Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program and food stamps can be made to work better and that states should be held accountable for their efforts to get jobs for food stamp beneficiaries.
The official name for food stamps is now the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP.
Vilsack also noted that the SNAP cut that went into the effect on Friday will save $11 billion over the coming years and that the cost of the crop insurance program has already been reduced by $6 billion of which $4 billion went to budget savings.
Vilsack criticized the House-passed proposals to end categorical eligibility for food stamp beneficiaries, saying it would take needy people off the program and cause additional expense to the states.
He was also critical of the House approach to work assistance, but said he believes the tie between the Low-Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program and food stamps can be made to work better and that states should be held accountable for their efforts to get jobs for food stamp beneficiaries.
The official name for food stamps is now the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP.
Vilsack also noted that the SNAP cut that went into the effect on Friday will save $11 billion over the coming years and that the cost of the crop insurance program has already been reduced by $6 billion of which $4 billion went to budget savings.
