Providing for Consideration of Senate Amendment to H.R. One Big Beautiful Bill Act

Floor Speech

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Mrs. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today against the Republican reconciliation bill, which would put 42 million Americans at risk of losing their SNAP benefits.

These policies are untested, dangerous, and arbitrary. Congress did not engage in a thoughtful process to make these changes to SNAP. The majority has not held a single hearing on the Nutrition, Foreign, Agriculture, and Horticulture Subcommittee on the cost-sharing provisions or the impact of this legislation. They have not solicited feedback from stakeholders or experts on what these changes would mean to States and hungry families who rely on SNAP.

The Republicans did not examine these policies closely because they knew it would take food away from hungry families and they didn't care. They have chosen to provide tax cuts for the wealthiest individuals. They know these changes will devastate State budgets.

In my home State of Connecticut, we could have to pay up to an additional $221 million per year for SNAP benefits and an additional $39 million for administrative costs.

Connecticut, like most States, will have to come up with these funds or deny basic services that they need for other things, like education, public safety, healthcare, and providing for our roads and bridges in our States. Notably, not every State will be subject to this change.

Late into the night, the Republican majority jumped through hoops to exempt noncontiguous States from these policies to pass cruel legislation. That is why we are up here writing legislation on the fly to protect some Americans while going after others.

No one should go hungry, whether they live in Connecticut, Alaska, Hawaii, or anywhere. It should not matter where you live or what kind of deal your Senator made. Everybody deserves to eat.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to reject this irresponsible legislation.
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