Rep. Escobar Highlights Importance of Upcoming Farm Bill

Texas Representative Veronica Escobar (D) recently highlighted the importance of the upcoming Farm Bill.

Rep. Escobar discussed how the bill could have an effect on community-focused organizations that serve free or low-priced food.

“With the upcoming Farm Bill just around the corner, this legislation will have major impacts on organizations like @eptruefood,” said Rep. Escobar.

“In addition to discussing their legislative priorities, I had a wonderful morning touring the newly opened Spoon Flower Grocery store today.”

The upcoming Farm Bill addresses five key areas including food security, jobs, conservation, risk management and hunger.

The Farm Bill hasn’t been updated since 2018. In the upcoming update to the bill, its supporters hope to increase baseline funding commitments to farm programs; maintain a unified farm bill that includes nutrition programs and farm programs together; and prioritize funding for risk management tools that include both federal crop insurance and commodity programs.

In other Texas news, Texas Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (D) took to Twitter to celebrate the recent Supreme Court ruling on voting laws in Alabama.

“The Shelby case destroyed voting rights, it took away from the work of our late and important civil rights icon John Lewis. It destroyed voting rights for the people of Alabama and became the precedent for destroying voting rights nationwide,” said Rep. Jackson Lee.

The ruling came as a surprise to many who thought that the court would affirm the congressional maps that were redrawn in 2020.

“Today, the Supreme Court gave dignity to itself by doing the right thing, by giving the right to representation to thousands of Alabamians. So many cases of voting discrimination did not prevail because of the Shelby case.”

Rep. Jackson Lee called for the Senate to pass the Voting Rights Advancement Act.

“The bill establishes new criteria for determining which states and political subdivisions must obtain preclearance before changes to voting practices may take effect.”

“Preclearance is the process of receiving preapproval from the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before making legal changes that would affect voting rights.”

Furthermore, political subdivisions must notify the public of changes and can face penalties for violations.

“This is a clarion call that the Supreme Court can and must fix injustices. Pass the Voting Rights Enhancement Act now!”