{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://fitzpatrick.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/updated-farm-bill-protects-snap-benefits-passes-house-fitzpatrick", "Updated Farm Bill Protects SNAP Benefits, Passes House with Fitzpatrick Support", "2018-12-14", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "PA", "Brian Fitzpatrick", "F000466", "fitzpatrick.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DCWith the support of Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-08), the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Conference Report to H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act, also known as the Farm Bill.\nWhile Rep. Fitzpatrick broke with his party and voted against earlier versions of the Farm Bill, he supported this measure as updated provisions in the bill protect the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). In the Pennsylvania 8th Congressional district alone, over 16,000 households rely on this program, according to the USDA.\nI was proud to support the updated Farm Bill, which passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program serves as our nation's most effective anti-hunger program. The updated measure ensures that the thousands of families, including our community's children, seniors, and veterans, maintain the support they need to raise themselves out of poverty, said Fitzpatrick. In addition, this bill reauthorizes much-needed assistance programs for our local farmers and producers.\nThe approved a 5-year Farm Bill agreement protects thousands of families in our community and charts a better path for America's farmers and ranchers, rural communities, small businesses, and consumers across the country.\nCongressman Glenn GT' Thompson (PA-05), who is Vice Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, said Agriculture is Pennsylvania's No. 1 industry, and thanks to Congressman Fitzpatrick's vote in favor of this 5-year Farm Bill we can continue to ensure that the Commonwealth remains a national leader. He has been a strong advocate for this important legislation that impacts the lives of everyone in the country.\nThe 2018 Farm Bill:\n Protects the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program\n\tStrengthens the farm safety net and provides certainty and flexibility to America's farmers and ranchers, notably for dairy farmers.\n\tProtects crop insurance and helps combat predatory practices of foreign countries.\n\tMaintains and preserves conservation funding to improve our soil, water, and other natural resources, and also improves our response to natural disasters.\n\tEncourages active forest management and new markets for American forest products.\n\tSupports beginning farmers and ranchers through a variety of programs encouraging future generations of agriculture.\n \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://fitzpatrick.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/updated-farm-bill-protects-snap-benefits-passes-house-fitzpatrick"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.972445122897625, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}