Dear Friend,
Last month at the Mount Vernon Farmer’s Market, I spoke about the importance of helping to ensure families have access to local, healthy foods. Unfortunately, House leaders continue to insinuate that our nation’s nutrition programs are too generous and discourage people from working – a perpetual stereotype that couldn’t be further from the truth. On average, Washingtonians on nutrition assistance receive only $32 a week to help purchase food. It’s important to remember that these investments we make not only have an incredible effect on our economy, but also on people’s lives.
If Congress doesn’t act by the end of the month, programs such as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Woman, Infants and Children – or WIC – will expire. In Mount Vernon, I celebrated the 40th anniversary of WIC by handing out WIC Farmers Market coupons to First District families. I am a strong supporter of this program and have cosponsored the Wise Investment in our Children Act to increase the age limit for children receiving WIC assistance from 5 to 6-years-old.
WIC made a difference for more than 304,000 women, infants and children in Washington in 2014. And almost half of all babies in our state utilize WIC. While millions of Americans are struggling with hunger, WIC helps ensure that low-income women and children have the food, healthcare and nutrition education they need. As a member of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition, I will continue working to fully fund the WIC program as Congress continues to move through the appropriations process this year.
Last year during the Farm Bill negotiations, I also helped stop $39 billion in cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and I helped secure $200 million for employment and training pilot programs modeled after our state’s highly successful Basic Food, Employment and Training (BFET) program.
Sixty percent of those enrolled in Washington’s employment and training programs found employment, and less than half remained on government assistance only two years after starting BFET. The new federal pilot program will help 10 states, including ours, build on that success.
As always, my office is here to serve you. If you have questions or comments about the topics that matter most to you, I encourage you to contact me through my website. You may also keep up-to-date on what I’m doing by following me on Twitter, Instagramand Facebook. If you need assistance dealing with a federal agency, such as the IRS or the VA, please do not hesitate to contact my Bothell office at (425) 485-0085.
Sincerely,
Suzan
