Poliquin’s Key Welfare Reform Proposals Included in Major Legislation

WASHINGTON – Today, lawmakers announced major legislation to reauthorize programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that will include key reforms to the nation’s welfare system that are based on Congressman Bruce Poliquin’s (ME-02) own proposals.

The agriculture legislation, a five-year reauthorization of USDA programs commonly referred to as the “farm bill,” will also include Congressman Poliquin’s bipartisan bill that will give school children greater access to healthy fruits and vegetables in their cafeterias.

1. Welfare Reform:

Congressman Poliquin has proposed five changes to the national welfare system’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through his own bill, the Food Stamp Integrity Act (H.R.3151), based on the successful models that have worked in Maine.

The farm bill will include important changes to SNAP that are based on two of Poliquin’s five welfare reform proposals: (1) ensure that those who choose to receive SNAP benefits are required to participate in a work program or SNAP employment and training programs, which are provided to them by the state, and (2) those who are delinquent in child support payments will be ineligible to receive taxpayer-funded SNAP benefits, with the guarantee that children’s benefits will not be cut.

“We need to be compassionate and helpful to those who are able-bodied in our country but find themselves trapped and dependent on government programs,” said Congressman Poliquin. “It’s critical we help those trapped on welfare learn the skills they need to be successful. With the lowest unemployment in Maine in decades, and an American economy that is expanding and hiring more and more workers, there has not been a better time in years for individuals stuck in government dependency to get the opportunities to be successful and become independent and self-sufficient.

“In Maine, we’ve had tremendous success in helping able-bodied adults get out of government dependency, becoming one of the leaders nationally in compassionately reforming welfare to help individuals be successful on their own. My proposals, based on Maine’s success, are important and compassionate policies that should be implemented on the national level, and I’m very pleased they’ve been included in this major legislation.”

The two proposed changes to SNAP in the farm bill that are based on proposals from Congressman Poliquin include:

Work Requirements: The proposed farm bill will require work-capable adults (able-bodied adults) ages 18-64 to participate in at least 20 hours per week in a work program or SNAP employment and training program to receive benefits, with exemptions for parents with children under 12 or who are pregnant or disabled. All SNAP recipients who choose to participate in these programs will be completely accommodated by the state, with the full support of federal funds, to ensure it happens.

More Responsible Rules for Individuals Delinquent on Child Support: Those who are delinquent in child support payments will be ineligible to receive taxpayer-funded SNAP benefits. Children’s benefits will not be cut.

2. Providing More Healthy Options in School Cafeterias:

The farm bill will also include Congressman Poliquin’s Fruit and Vegetable Access for Children Act (H.R.3402), a bipartisan bill that will give our children greater access to healthy fruits and vegetables in their school cafeterias.

Poliquin’s bill, which now has the support of 14 Democratic and Republican cosponsors, will allow schools to have the option to use the money from USDA’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) to purchase additional forms of fruits and vegetables—fresh, frozen, canned, pureed, and dried—expanding the number of nutritious food options for schoolchildren.

“Making sure our children have better access and more nutritious choices at the school cafeteria is a goal that is shared across party and state lines,” said Congressman Poliquin. “As a parent, I know how important it is for our kids to be able to eat healthy all year round with nutritious products from across the country. This bipartisan bill’s inclusion in the farm bill is a huge win for our school children and the hardworking producers in Maine, such as our wild blueberry harvesters, who provide these nutritious foods.”

According to the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans, there is overwhelming nutritional consensus that Americans should increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, including fresh, frozen, canned and dried. In its various forms, fruit and vegetables are nutritionally similar. The FFVP, whose goal is to educate children on the foods they eat, ensures school children in low-income areas across the country receive nutritious snacks while learning about the many benefits of eating fruits and vegetables. By including these forms of fruit and vegetables, we ensure they have a comprehensive education.

Congressman Poliquin’s bipartisan bill would allow schools to maximize the value of program dollars. This bill ensures that schools have the options they need to continue to encourage a healthy diet throughout the school year. It gives schools flexibility in the use of their FFVP funds for the well-being of both our children and our schools.

Additional Background:

The farm bill is the common name for the legislation that reauthorizes programs at the USDA every five years. The last farm bill was signed into law in 2014 and expires by 2019.  This farm bill introduced today would be implemented in 2019, as the last farm bill lapses.