ENSURING VETERANS HAVE ACCESS TO FOOD ASSISTANCE

On 2025-03-11, Representative Jahana Hayes (D-CT-5) delivered a floor speech titled "ENSURING VETERANS HAVE ACCESS TO FOOD ASSISTANCE" in the House. The speech addressed veterans affairs and also covered agriculture.

ENSURING VETERANS HAVE ACCESS TO FOOD ASSISTANCE

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 45 (Tuesday, March 11, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 45 (Tuesday, March 11, 2025)] [House] [Page H1130] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] ENSURING VETERANS HAVE ACCESS TO FOOD ASSISTANCE (Mrs. HAYES asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.) Mrs. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, in recognition of National Nutrition Month, I introduced the Feed Hungry Veterans Act, legislation to permanently remove barriers to SNAP often faced by veterans with work-limiting disabilities. According to the 2023 RAND report, 1.4 million veterans are food insecure. That is in part because many disabled veterans do not meet all the qualifications for Federal nutrition programs like SNAP. My legislation amends the definition of ``elderly or disabled'' for SNAP to include veterans with one service-connected disability rated at 60 percent or higher or two or more service-connected disabilities, at least one of which is rated 40 percent or higher. With more than one third of disabled veterans in the United States facing food insecurity, we must do more to support those who have honorably served our Nation. The Feed Hungry Veterans Act is a critical step to ensuring veterans have long-term access to critical food assistance. ____________________