video: McGovern Blasts Republican Bill Forcing SNAP Recipients to Pass Drug Test

Saturday, February 13, 2016

GoLocalWorcester News Team

Congressman Jim McGovern called out a Republican bill on Friday that would let states use drug testing to determine low-income Americans' eligibility to receive food assistance through SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

“This is nothing more than an attempt to demonize poor people and has no basis in reality. Similar laws in Florida and Georgia were struck down as unconstitutional and only waste thousands of taxpayer dollars to identify very few drug users. In fact, those receiving public assistance actually test positive at a lower rate than the general population," said McGovern.

Congressman McGovern has consistently called for Congress to strengthen SNAP and has cautioned against opening the Farm Bill to make changes to the anti-hunger program.

McGovern added "SNAP is intended to help people put food on the table when they’re struggling to find work, when their current job isn’t paying enough, or simply when they’ve fallen on hard times. We should be talking about improving the SNAP benefit so families can afford nutritious food – not creating more insulting hoops for vulnerable families to have to jump through."