Pelosi Statement on the 40th Anniversary of the Food Stamp Program

Contact: Ashley Etienne/Henry Connelly, 202-226-7616

San Francisco – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement marking the 40th anniversary of the Food Stamp Act, which established the food stamp and nutrition assistance initiative known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP):

"On this day, we celebrate 40 transformational years of the Food Stamp Act, a landmark achievement that has lifted up millions of hard-working families and ensured that countless children, seniors, veterans and vulnerable communities have food on the table. For decades, Democrats have strengthened and modernized this vital initiative, in doing so, have built stronger and healthier communities across America.

"Yet, Republicans remain outrageously obsessed with ripping away the promise of an affordable meal for every family and destroying the progress made in the fight against food insecurity. Next week, House Republicans will vote on a brutal and immoral budget that would dismantle SNAP and countless other essential lifelines that families rely on. Republicans will vote to steal billions of dollars from hungry children and families across America, while paving the way for a weak Farm Bill that devastates American communities.

"These cruel efforts are just the beginning. Once Republicans add trillions of dollars of debt in tax giveaways for the richest, the next item on their agenda will be to ransack food stamps, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and every vital job-training and education investment for working families. Democrats will fight with all our strength to defend hard-working Americans from Republican attacks on their health and pocketbooks, and will protect SNAP from any efforts to undermine, restrict or diminish our nation's first line of defense against hunger."

# # #