Statement on Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow’s Introduction of ‘Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act’ in the US Senate
Inclusion of the ‘Training and Nutrition Stability Act‘ and ‘RESTORE Act’’ will Ensure More People can Access Resources to Build a Thriving Future
CEO Media Contact:
Claire Gross, Sr. Manager Public Relations
[email protected] | (646) 370-8292
New York, NY–November 18, 2024 –– In response to the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) introducing the “Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act,” which includes bipartisan legislation the Training & Nutrition Stability Act (S. 3190) and RESTORE Act (S.1753), Sam Schaeffer, Executive Director and CEO of the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) released the following statement:
“We are grateful to Chairwoman Stabenow for her leadership in taking this important step toward passage of a comprehensive and bipartisan farm bill before the end of the year. A strong farm bill, or the lack thereof, affects everyone–especially families already struggling to get by.
“The farm bill touches the lives of all Americans. From food and farm security to conservation to workforce development, the passage or failure of the farm bill has wide-ranging impacts on access to essential programs. Included in Chairman Stabenow’s introduced text are two groundbreaking pieces of legislation that end punitive and exclusive policies: Training and Nutrition Stability Act (TNSA) , a bipartisan fix that would ensure people enrolled in workforce development programs would qualify for SNAP benefits and the RESTORE Act which reinstates SNAP eligibility for people with past drug convictions. We are especially grateful to Senator Gillibrand (D-NY) and Senator Ricketts (R-NE) for their leadership introducing TNSA.
“As a national organization serving justice-impacted communities, we know what’s at stake every moment if bipartisan fixes like the TNSA or RESTORE Act are not implemented. It’s another day struggling to make ends meet and forcing people to make the impossible decision between putting food on the table and enrolling in workforce development. No one should ever be punished for building their future.
“Swift passage of a comprehensive, bipartisan farm and food bill that expands and protects access to food security and training is necessary for all of us and our communities to thrive.”
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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.
