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Dear Colleagues -- I forward a brief update from Peter and Trish (UNPA Senior Political Advisors) regarding the status of the SNAP (food stamps) issue. Peter and Trish are working very closely with Senator Hatch's staff to advance the SNAP amendment. Senator Hatch has supported the use of multivitamins under the food stamp program since 1995. He continues to champion this issue. We are very cautiously optimistic for success in this legislative session despite the tumult on Capitol Hill.
This is an exceptionally fast-moving and dynamic issue. We will keep you informed as circumstances warrant. Cordially, LDI --------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Patricia Knight <PKnight@knight-cap.us> Date: Tue, Jun 12, 2018 at 3:53 PM Subject: SNAP REport To: "Loren Israelsen (loren@unpa.com)" <loren@unpa.com> Cc: Peter Reinecke <peter@rssinc.us> We wanted to keep you updated on Congressional action on a longstanding legislative priority: to for the first time allow the 42 million Americans who receive SNAP ("food stamps") to use their benefits to purchase multi-vitamin supplements. As we have reported, last month the House approved this change as an amendment the the Farm Bill by Rep. Mike Rogers without any objections raised. The Senate Agriculture Committee is considering the Farm Bill tomorrow. It is unlikely that this issue will be considered in Committee. However, we are heartened to learn this afternoon that supplement champion Senator Orrin Hatch has agreed to file this amendment so it will be in order to be considered when the farm bill comes before the entire Senate - perhaps in the next few weeks. Senator Hatch first advanced this reform over 20 years ago in 1995. He worked with former Senator Harkin and got it passed in the Senate in 2002 and 2008 but it never gained final approval by the House of Representatives. So, this would be a tremendous legacy issue for him in his long career of advancing major legislation to improve health and nutrition. We are extremely grateful that Senator Hatch has once again risen to move the ball down the field for us. We will continue to keep you posted as this unfolds. -Peter and Trisha Comments are closed.
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