10 Members of Congress who Receive Farm Subsidies Voted to Cut Food Stamps

Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Rep. Doug LaMafta

Ten members of Congress who have benefited from government-funded farm subsidies voted last week to reduce funding for food stamps that help poor people eat.

 

The lawmakers—all Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives—received agriculture subsidies, either directly or indirectly, through trusts or businesses owned by themselves or their spouses.

 

They personally benefited from a taxpayer-supported program, then turned around and supported legislation to cut $40 billion over 10 years from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, commonly known as the “food stamp” program).

 

The 10 GOP representatives are: Robert Aderholt of Alabama, Stephen Fincher of Tennessee, Vicky Hartzler of Missouri, John Kline of Minnesota, Doug LaMalfa of California, Frank Lucas of Oklahoma, Randy Neugebauer of Texas, Kristi Noem of South Dakota, Marlin Stutzman of Indiana and Mac Thornberry of Texas.

 

Rice farmer LaMalfa led the pack. He and his wife, Jill, own one–third of DSL Lamalfa Family Partnership, which received $188,570 in direct payments in 2012 and $5,132,156 total since 1995.

 

The liberal advocacy group Campaign for America’s Future criticized the effort to reduce funding for SNAP, noting that 47 million Americans in the past year have relied on the program while the nation continues to struggle through “our jobless recovery.”

 

“It’s perverse to weaken our nation’s first line of defense against hunger and poverty by $4 billion per year while giving hundreds of billions to big corporations that don’t need them,” Derek Pugh wrote on the organization’s website.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

To Learn More:

The 10 Farm Subsidy Recipients Who Voted To Cut Food Stamps (by Derek Pugh, Campaign for America’s Future)

Families on Food Stamps would Suffer while Farms get Fat (by Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times)

23 Members of Congress Receive Farm Subsidies (by David Wallechinsky and Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)

Comments

SlicNic5150 10 years ago
If Dan fails to see the blatant hypocrisy of cashing a government subsidy check for his family farm, then turning around & taking food out of the mouths of children & the disabled, he's a lost cause.
Jackson MacArthur 10 years ago
No Don Cartwright you don't know that because the food stamp program is mostly for disabled people and children - it has a fraud rate lower than that of congress.
Dan Cartwright 10 years ago
I don't see your comment on any votes they gave related to these subsidies that you tout. Back in the 80's I had family active around farming and heard that there were farmers paid to not plant acres to help control the price of certain grain. I didn't think it wise then but don't know any details of why these families recieved the subsidies you speak of now. I do know there are way too many chip eating couch sitters that should find work and if there aren't enough jobs, when will you help close our borders?

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