Home > FRAC 2007 Farm Bill Food Stamp Reauthorization Center > Action Alert - 3/13/07

FR: Upcoming FY 2008 Budget Decisions Will Affect Nutrition Title Investments

The next week is a critical juncture for the 2007 Farm Bill nutrition title. It is the time when the Senate and House Budget Committees narrow the priorities for the FY 2008 Congressional Budget Resolution. The FY 2008 Budget Resolution will provide the general funding parameters under which the Senate and House Agriculture Committees will draft the 2007 Farm Bill.

This memorandum provides background on the FY 2008 Budget process, an update on developments, information on how to access a key March 13th House Agriculture Subcommittee hearing on the Food Stamp Program, and recommended action to help secure new investments for the Food Stamp Program and other parts of the 2007 Farm Bill’s nutrition title.

I. Background on 2007 Farm Bill

The 2002 Farm Bill reauthorized the Food Stamp Program for five years. Another program reauthorization is due by October 1, 2007. FRAC and allies are seeking new investments to improve access and allotments in the Food Stamp Program.

The Senate and House Agriculture Committees (the authorizing committees) are holding hearings and are slated to mark up a farm bill later this spring; floor votes are expected this summer. As discussed below, as a threshold matter, prospects for a strong nutrition title of the Farm Bill will be affected by decisions on the FY 2008 Budget this month.

II. FY 2008 Budget and Action Needed

Budget Committee Timing: The Senate Budget Committee is expected to take up the FY 2008 Congressional Budget Resolution on March 14th and 15th, while House Budget Committee mark up is likely the week of March 20th. Senate and House floor votes on the FY 2008 Budget Resolution are anticipated before the spring holiday recess (April 2nd-13th).

House Ag Committee Letter Falls Short: On March 1st, the House Agriculture Committee adopted its “Budget Views and Estimates Letter,” setting out its priorities for the FY 2008 Budget. The letter references food stamp investments proposed by the Administration but falls short of explicitly endorsing the more expansive relief sought by anti-hunger advocates. Anti-hunger advocates are urging the House Budget Committee and House leaders to direct that a more significant share of the FY 2008 Budget resources for the 2007 Farm Bill go to support the nutrition title. The House Agriculture Committee’s letter is posted at http://agriculture.house.gov/inside/pubs/FinalBudgetViewsLetter2008.pdf

For FRAC’s analysis of the President’s food and nutrition proposals, go to: http://www.frac.org/html/news/020707budget.html For contact information for Agriculture and Budget Committee Members, go to http://www.frac.org/pdf/110thcongress.pdf

Message and Action Needed:

1) Call Members of Congress and urge them to ask the House and Senate Budget Committees and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to make room in the FY 2008 Budget for new investments in the nutrition title of the 2007 Farm Bill to improve Food Stamp Program access and benefit levels. Ask that extra funding for the Agriculture Committees be assumed to support new investments in the nutrition title. The Capitol switchboard number is 202-225-3121.

2) Grow the support for the organizational letter in support of a strong nutrition title for the 2007 Farm Bill. Go to http://www.frac.org/Press_Release/01.31.07.html for links to sign up and the current list.

III. Other 2007 Farm Bill Developments and Resources

Upcoming Nutrition Hearing: The House Agriculture Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry is slated to hold a March 13th hearing on the Food Stamp Program and its impact on children's health. FRAC’s Jim Weill, National Council of La Raza’s Janet Murguia, and California Association of Food Banks’ Kim McCoy Wade will join USDA officials, a Minnesota pediatrician, a Kansas children’s advocate, and an Alabama administrator in testifying. Subcommittee Members include Democrats Baca (CA), Pomeroy (ND), Davis (TN), Lampson (TX), Kagen (WI), Boyda (KS); and Republicans Bonner (AL), Moran (KS), King (IA), Neugebauer (TX), Boustany (LA). To access live audio for the hearing at 10am eastern time, go to http://agriculture.house.gov/hearings/audio.html

FRAC, America’s Second Harvest and APHSA Have a Common Agenda: By joint statement released on February 26th, FRAC, America’s Second Harvest and the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) outlined a common Food Stamp agenda for the 2007 Farm Bill, emphasizing eligibility improvements, allotment increases, and streamlining initiatives. The agenda will require a significant share of new FY 2008 investments. For the statement, go to http://www.frac.org/pdf/farmbill07statement.pdf

New Resources:

To view congressional testimony on hunger by Boston pediatrician Dr. Deborah Frank and South Carolina food banker Denise Holland that House Budget Committee Chairman John Spratt, Jr. (D-SC) called among the most compelling and authoritative in 24 years of hearings, go to http://budget.house.gov/hearings.htm (at time marker 2:33:00 on the Web cast for February 15th). For a new USDA Food and Nutrition Service paper explaining the implications of policies to limit the types of foods purchased with food stamps, go to http://tinyurl.com/3bf4g7

For the 2007 Farm Bill priorities for the American Dietetic Association, go to
http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/media_11179_ENU_HTML.htm

Watch the FRAC Web site (www.frac.org) for postings of power point presentations and other information shared at workshops at the recent National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference.

IV. Assistance and Feedback

For further information or assistance or to provide feedback, contact evollinger@frac.org or eteller@frac.org

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