WASHINGTON, Jan. 28, 2015 - Massachusetts Rep. Jim McGovern, one of the House's most outspoken defenders of federal food assistance, has been named the top Democrat on the House Agriculture subcommittee assigned to investigate the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
House Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas, told Agri-Pulse that he assigned the subcommittee to do a “soup-to-nuts” review of SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, and recruited Jackie Walorski, R-Ind., to chair the panel.
The full committee's ranking Democrat, Collin Peterson of Minnesota, announced his subcommittee assignments Wednesday.
The other Democratic members of the nutrition subcommittee will be Marcia Fudge of Ohio, Alma Adams, of North Carolina, Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, Pete Aguilar of California, Stacey Plaskett of the Virgin Islands, Brad Ashford of Nebraska and Suzan DelBene of Washington.
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The ranking members of other subcommittees: Tim Walz of Minnesota on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management; David Scott of Georgia on Commodity Exchanges, Energy and Credit; Lujan Grisham on Conservation and Forestry; DelBene on Biotechnology, Horticulture and Research; and Jim Costa of California on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture.
As Conaway announced subcommittee assignments, he said, “I look forward to working with this very talented team of proven leaders. Their diverse backgrounds will be of great values to the Committee as we work to promote production agriculture and vibrant rural America.”
The General Farm Commodities and Risk Management subcommittee has jurisdiction over policies, statutes, and markets relating to commodities including barley, cotton, cottonseed, corn, grain sorghum, honey, mohair, oats, other oilseeds, peanuts, pulse crops, rice, soybeans, sugar, wheat, and wool; the Commodity Credit Corporation; risk management policies and statutes, including Federal Crop Insurance; producer data and privacy issues. Members include:
Rick Crawford (R-Arkansas), Chair
Frank Lucas (R-Oklahoma)
Randy Neugebauer (Texas)
Mike Rogers (Alabama)
Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio)
Austin Scott (R-Georgia)
Jeff Denham (R-California)
Doug LaMalfa (R-California)
Jackie Walorski (R-Indiana)
Rick Allen (R-Georgia)
Mike Bost (R-Illinois)
Ralph Abraham (R-Louisiana)
Tim Walz (D-Minnesota), Ranking Member
Cherie Bustos (D-Illinois)
Gwen Graham (D-Florida)
Brad Ashford (D-Nebraska)
David Scott (D-Georgia)
Jim Costa (D-California)
Sean Patrick Maloney (D-New York)
Ann Kirkpatrick (D-Arizona)
The Nutrition subcommittee has jurisdiction over policies and statutes relating to nutrition, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and domestic commodity distribution and consumer initiatives. Members include:
Jackie Walorski (R-Indiana), Chair
Randy Neugebauer (R-Texas)
Glenn Thompson (R-Pennsylvania)
Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio)
Rick Crawford (R-Arkansas)
Vicky Hartzler (R-Missouri)
Dan Benishek (R-Michigan)
Rodney Davis (R-Illinois)
Ted Yoho (R-Florida)
David Rouzer (R-North Carolina)
Ralph Abraham (R-Louisiana)
John Moolenaar (R-Michigan)
Jim McGovern (D-Massachusetts), Ranking Member
Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio)
Alma Adams (D-North Carolina)
Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-New Mexico)
Pete Aguilar (D-California)
Stacey Plaskett (D-Virgin Islands)
Brad Ashford D-(Nebraska)
Suzan DelBene (D-Washington)
The Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit subcommittee has jurisdiction over policies, statutes, and markets relating to commodity exchanges; agricultural credit; rural development; energy; rural electrification. Members include:
Austin Scott (R-Georgia), Chair
Bob Goodlatte (R-Virginia)
Frank Lucas (R-Oklahoma)
Randy Neugebauer (R-Texas)
Mike Rogers (R-Alabama)
Doug LaMalfa (R-California)
Rodney Davis (R-Illinois)
Tom Emmer (R-Minnesota)
David Scott (D-Georgia), Ranking Member
Filemon Vela (D-Texas)
Sean Patrick Maloney (D-New York)
Ann Kirkpatrick (D-Arizona)
Pete Aguilar (D-California)
The Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research committee has jurisdiction over policies, statutes, and markets relating to horticulture, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, and ornamentals; bees; and organic agriculture; policies and statutes relating to marketing and promotion orders; pest and disease management; bioterrorism; adulteration and quarantine matters; research, education, and extension; and biotechnology. Members include:
Rodney Davis (R-Illinois), Chair
Glenn Thompson (R-Pennsylvania)
Austin Scott (R-Georgia)
Chris Gibson (R-New York)
Jeff Denham (R-California)
Ted Yoho (R-Florida)
John Moolenaar (R-Michigan)
Dan Newhouse (R-Washington)
Suzan DelBene (D-Washington), Ranking Member
Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio)
Jim McGovern (D-Massachusetts)
Ann Kuster (D-New Hampshire)
Gwen Graham (D-Florida)
The Livestock and Foreign Agriculture subcommittee has jurisdiction over policies, statutes, and markets relating to all livestock, poultry, dairy, and seafood, including all products thereof; the inspection, marketing, and promotion of such commodities and products; aquaculture; animal welfare; grazing; foreign agricultural assistance and trade promotion. Members include:
David Rouzer (R-North Carolina), Chair
Bob Goodlatte (R-Virginia)
Steve King (R-Iowa)
Scott DesJarlais (R-Tennessee)
Vicky Hartzler (R-Missouri)
Ted Yoho (R-Florida)
Tom Emmer (R-Minnesota)
Dan Newhouse (R-Washington)
Jim Costa (D-California), Ranking Member
Stacey Plaskett (D-Virgin Islands)
Filemon Vela D-(Texas)
Rick Nolan (D-Minnesota)
Cherie Bustos (D-Illinois)
The Conservation and Forestry subcommittee has jurisdiction over policies and statutes relating to resource conservation, forestry, and all forests under the jurisdiction of the Committee on Agriculture. Members include:
Glenn Thompson (R-Pennsylvania), Chair
Frank Lucas (R-Oklahoma)
Steve King (R-Iowa)
Scott DesJarlais (R-Tennessee)
Chris Gibson (R-New York)
Dan Benishek (R-Michigan)
Rick Allen (R-Georgia)
Mike Bost (R-Illinois)
Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-New Mexico), Ranking Member
Ann Kuster (D-New Hampshire)
Rick Nolan (D-Minnesota)
Suzan DelBene (D-Washington)
Ann Kirkpatrick (D-Arizona)
(This story was updated at 12:53 p.m.)
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