Stabenow open to more farm bill food-stamp reforms

Passage of a five-year farm bill in the lame-duck session appears to still be hung up on the issue of food-stamp benefit cuts.

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) said Thursday she remains opposed to the food-stamp cuts in the House Agriculture Committee bill, although she could support cuts from new efficiencies. 

“Not the way it was written,” she said. “I am open to more savings and efficiencies or more anti-fraud efforts but not cuts to needy families.”

The Senate passed a bill this spring with $23 billion in deficit reduction, and the House Agriculture Committee passed a bill with $35 billion in deficit reduction. Either piece of legislation could be used as lawmakers seek to replace $109 billion in automatic spending cuts set to strike in January.

The Senate bill cuts $4 billion from food stamps, but the House goes further, by $12 billion, mostly by eliminating closing doors to food stamp eligibility.

Stabenow said she is continuing to meet with House Agriculture Chairman Frank Lucas (R-Okla.). 

Both sides say that the fate of the farm bill now rests with President Obama and Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio). 

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