VIDEO: Rep. Gabe Vasquez Defends Rural Families and Local Economies in House Agriculture Committee SNAP Hearing

WASHINGTON, D.C. -Today, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) forcefully defended the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during a House Agriculture Committee hearing, warning that Republican efforts to slash $230 billion from the program would devastate rural communities across New Mexico and the country.

WATCH: Vasquez Defends SNAP in House Agriculture Committee

Vasquez represents one of the highest SNAP-participating districts in the nation, where 1 in 4 households rely on the program to feed their families. He highlighted the economic ripple effects of SNAP cuts, noting that in NM-02 alone, 592 grocery stores and food retailers-including 12 local farmers' markets-depend on SNAP purchases to survive.

"Cutting SNAP by $230 billion in exchange for tax giveaways for the wealthy would do irreparable harm to rural communities and colonias across my district-where one in four households rely on SNAP to feed their families. These are the same folks who grow America's food, and they deserve better than to be accused of fraud while they're just trying to survive," Vasquez said during the hearing.

Vasquez also stressed that Republican proposals to cut SNAP by imposing one-size-fits-all work mandates and shifting costs to states would hit rural communities hardest-where good-paying jobs are scarce and families already face steep barriers to basic services.

Vasquez concluded by reiterating his commitment to passing a bipartisan Farm Bill that protects both producers and consumers and vowed to oppose any reconciliation proposal that guts SNAP while handing tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy.

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