Sister Simone Campbell Responds to Senate Release of the 2018 Farm Bill

For Immediate Release: June 8, 2018
Contact: Ashley Wilson, awilson@networklobby.org, 202-601-7856
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WASHINGTON, D.C. — In response to the Senate release of the 2018 Farm Bill, Sister Simone Campbell, SSS, Executive Director of NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice issued the following statement:

“Today’s release of the Senate’s Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 provides a promising first step in a bipartisan process. While Farm Bill negotiations still face multiple political hurdles, I was encouraged to see Senator Roberts and Senator Stabenow work together to produce a bipartisan bill. Upon first look, the bill seems to meet the needs of both the agriculture community and people experiencing food insecurity.

“It is imperative to keep intact the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), one of our nation’s most effective safety net programs. The Catholic Sisters and activists of NETWORK will continue to monitor the process for any attempts at derailment.

“In an ideal world we would see SNAP strengthened in ways that address known benefit shortfalls for hungry families and individuals. In the current political climate, we are grateful to see a strong program left basically intact. In such uncertain times as these, predictability for food-insecure households as well as for agricultural producers is considered a win.

“While the ‘devil is in the details’ that still need to be studied, I applaud the leadership of Senator Roberts and Senator Stabenow. This appears to be movement toward fulfilling our nation’s moral imperative to pass a Farm Bill that reduces food insecurity and promotes the common good.”

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NETWORK – advocates for justice inspired by Catholic sisters – educates, organizes, and lobbies for economic and social transformation. They have a 45-year track record of lobbying for critical federal programs that support those at the margins and prioritize the common good. www.networklobby.org