Broad Coalition of Over 50 Groups Urges House and Senate AG Committee Leadership to Pass a Comprehensive Bipartisan Farm Bill as Soon as Possible
Anti-poverty, Agriculture, Employment Training, Food Security, Reentry, and Civil Rights Organizations Across the Country Fight to Expand and Protect Access to Food Security
CEO Media Contact:
Claire Gross, Sr. Manager Public Relations
[email protected] | (646) 370-8292
New York, NY–December 2, 2024 –Today, a broad coalition of groups, led by the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), sent US Senate and House Agriculture Committee Leadership letters signed by over 50 anti-poverty, agriculture, employment training, food security, reentry and civil rights organizations from across the country, urging Congress to pass a comprehensive and bipartisan farm bill that protects and expands food security as soon as possible.
The farm bill holds solutions to some of the most urgent issues facing Americans today. From addressing cycles of poverty, to stemming food and employment insecurity by funding training programs that equip workers with in-demand skills that American businesses need, the passage of a comprehensive, bipartisan farm bill that both protects and expands food security and job training is critical. Recognizing the wide-reaching ramifications of a delayed farm bill on people from all walks of life, CEO engaged a robust list of organizations to craft a message communicating the urgent, time-sensitive, and interconnected nature of the farm bill–forming the “We Can’t Wait Coalition.”
Since this coalition represents diverse groups that have connected, but varying interests, CEO sent two letters to the Agriculture Committees–one focused on food security and agriculture and the other on employment and workforce. Both letters deliver the same message: our country can’t wait; we need a farm bill that protects and expands food security and training now.
CEO has been a leading advocate on two groundbreaking pieces of bipartisan legislation :
- Training and Nutrition Stability Act (TNSA) (H.R.3087 and S.3190) is a bipartisan fix that would ensure people enrolled in workforce development programs would maintain their food security as they complete training.
- The RESTORE Act (H.R.3479 and S.1753) which allows SNAP eligibility for people with past drug convictions.
Justice-impacted people need immediate support and stability upon reentry as they rebuild their lives. People returning from incarceration are twice as likely to experience food insecurity causing even more disruptions for themselves and their families as they navigate their transition. Every day the farm bill is delayed is another day essential fixes such as TNSA and RESTORE remain stagnant, causing continued hardship for the people, families, and communities that need them most.
“So many people returning from incarceration are working tirelessly to rebuild their lives,” said Chief Executive Officer at CEO Sam Schaeffer. “It is endlessly frustrating to watch our country exclude justice-impacted people and their families from food assistance and penalize them for enrolling in training programs that help them find stable and quality employment. Everyday, thousands of CEO participants come to one of our 31 offices motivated and ready to work, but we must ensure our laws create tools that equip them for agency and autonomy. We must keep pushing for a bipartisan farm bill that protects and expands access to food security and training.”
The ‘We Can’t Wait’ campaign illustrates the collective need to swiftly pass a bipartisan, robust farm bill. People can't wait to put food on the table. Farmers can’t wait for assistance. Families can’t wait to build economic stability and prosperity for their children. Businesses can’t wait for the skilled workers they need. This country just can’t wait.
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About the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO)
The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) provides immediate, effective, and comprehensive employment services exclusively to people recently released from incarceration. CEO currently operates in 30 cities in 12 states and is dedicated to ensuring that justice-impacted people have opportunities and careers to achieve socioeconomic mobility. For more information, please visit: ceoworks.org.
