Republicans continued to push their legislative agenda while privately fuming over President Trump’s deal-making with opposition leaders. On Thursday, the Senate Agriculture Committee held its eighth hearing in preparation for the upcoming 2018 Farm Bill.
The focus of this hearing was on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other related nutrition programs under Title IV of the Farm Bill. In his opening remarks, Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-Kansas) emphasized the importance of the hearing process as an opportunity to review U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs and “ensure that they are operating efficiently and effectively.” Chairman Roberts expressed concern regarding the SNAP program’s lack of oversight. SNAP accounts for over 75 percent of Farm Bill spending, but Chairman Roberts claimed states are cheating the system, preventing USDA from measuring the program’s mission success. Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan) also acknowledged that SNAP is problematic, while discouraging Committee members from punishing families who rely on the program.