2014 KY Senate debate: on Welfare & Poverty


Alison Grimes: Shameful to oppose food stamp program during recession

McConnell voted against the new Farm Bill, saying the legislation had been overtaken by a too-generous food stamp program that overshadows actual farm policy. His chief Democratic challenger, Alison Lundergan Grimes, has denounced McConnell's vote as "shameful." Grimes said, "He has failed our farmers, and in the process left so many in the lurch." An estimated 1 in 5 Kentuckians receive food stamps. Those food stamp rolls swelled nationwide as the economy has struggled in recent years, with the stimulus providing higher benefits and many people signing up for the first time.

"It just largely became a food-stamp bill with production agriculture kind of stuck on as an afterthought," McConnell told reporters. He also voiced support for work requirements for many recipients.

Grimes didn't provide details about what level of funding she would support for the food-stamp program. She said she hoped the negotiations would produce a comprehensive bill that includes food -stamp funding.

Source: Iowa Farmer Today, "Farm Bill", on 2014 Kentucky Senate race Dec 12, 2013

Mitch McConnell: Opposed Farm Bill due to too-generous food stamp program

McConnell appeared before the Kentucky Farm Bureau to explain his vote against a new farm bill, saying the legislation had been overtaken by a too-generous food stamp program that overshadows actual farm policy. McConnell said he hopes to eventually support a new farm bill if negotiators reach an agreement. His Democratic challenger, Alison Grimes, has denounced McConnell's vote as "shameful."

"It just largely became a food-stamp bill with production agriculture kind of stuck on as an afterthought," McConnell told reporters. He also voiced support for work requirements for many recipients, saying it could spur more economic productivity. "Why would anybody object, if they can be given employment, to being productive?" McConnell said. "At the same time, you may be eligible for some food-stamp assistance. We need to move in the direction of having a vibrant, productive, expanding economy. And you don't do that by making it excessively easy to be non-productive."

Source: Iowa Farmer Today, "Farm Bill", on 2014 Kentucky Senate race Dec 12, 2013

  • The above quotations are from 2014 Kentucky Senate debates.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Welfare & Poverty.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Mitch McConnell on Welfare & Poverty.
  • Click here for more quotes by Alison Grimes on Welfare & Poverty.
Candidates and political leaders on Welfare & Poverty:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R) 		Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R) 		Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Dec 06, 2018