New Mexico Legislators Vote to Support Farm Bill

The times when our congressional delegation takes the same stance on an issue are rare. The recent vote on the Farm Bill was one of those rare occasions. Sen. Tom Udall, Sen. Martin Heinrich, Rep. Ben Ray Lujan and Rep. Steve Pearce all voted to support this legislative initiative that goes a long way to address hunger in our country and overseas. I am 100% sure Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham would have cast a Yay vote, but she was occupied with the transition process as she prepares to become Governor of New Mexico.  

Call (800-826-3688) and thank Sens.. Udall and Heinrich and Reps. Pearce and Lujan for helping pass the legislation. 

How did the rest of the representatives and senators vote? The Senate passed the bill 87 to 13. The House passed it 369 to 47.

According to the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), the initiative protects the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the critical investment that ensures nearly 40 million people who struggle against hunger in this country can afford to put food in their refrigerators and on their tables. Read More

Beyond protecting SNAP, the measure contains other provisions that help address hunger in our country and overseas. Here is a note from Rev. David Beckmann to Bread members following the passage of the Farm Bill.

Dear Bread members:

This week, Congress sent the president a bipartisan farm bill that protects and strengthens the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and makes key improvements to international food aid programs.

In a year that has too often been divisive, we celebrate that members of Congress worked together to pass a bipartisan bill.

This success would not have been possible without Bread members’ faithful advocacy — your letters, phone calls, emails, and persistent encouragement for a farm bill that helps end hunger made a difference.

In addition to SNAP, this bill includes funding for nutrition incentives and produce prescriptions that will improve access to healthy foods and connect individuals and households to jobs. It has international impact, too — changes to food aid that will make these programs more efficient and expand their reach to more people.

This farm bill will put the United States on track to end food insecurity and hunger in our country and save millions of lives overseas. Thanks be to God!

Grace and peace, 
Rev. David Beckmann 
President, Bread for the World