Editorial: Republicans Push For New Food Stamp Laws + 10 Other GOP Farm Bill Changes

Stop Anyone With A Felony Drug Offense From Receiving Food Stamps:
Republican Austin Scott of Georgia thinks Wagner’s amendment doesn’t go far enough, introducing one that adds drug-related felony, felony-robbery, and even treason to the list of reasons to deny food stamp benefits.

Study The Lesser Prairie Chicken:
New Mexico Republican Steve Pearce has a well-documented problem with the lesser prairie chicken, specifically that the bird could receive federal protection under the Endangered Species Act. He argues that putting the bird on such a list could “jeopardize energy, farming and ranching jobs” in his state. He also believes the farm bill is a good opportunity to assess the federal government’s relationship with the bird, as the leading co-sponsor of an amendment directing the secretary of agriculture to conduct a “study on current USDA programs related to the lesser prairie chicken to analyze the economic impact and effectiveness of these programs.”