U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) and Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) last week cheered passage by the U.S. House Agriculture Committee of the Republicans’ reconciliation package, which includes several priorities for rural America and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) offered by Rep. Johnson.
“The policies included in this package will benefit the fiscal health of our nation, as well as our producers,” Rep. Johnson said on May 15. “Provisions from my America Works Act are integral to ensuring federal benefit programs like SNAP aren’t just a handout but a hand up. I’m grateful for the Ag Committee’s hard work to turn our nation’s spending in the right direction.”
The committee passed its portion of House Concurrent Resolution 14, which identifies $296 billion in savings while making significant investments in Farm Bill programs that support American agriculture, according to the lawmakers.
“Our section of the One Big, Beautiful Bill restores integrity to [SNAP], provides relief to farmers, invests in the future of rural America, and prevents the largest tax increase on American families,” said Rep. Thompson, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee. “We ensure that SNAP works the way Congress intended it to, by reinforcing work, rooting out waste, and instituting long-overdue accountability incentives to control costs and end executive and state overreach.”
Rep. Thompson also pointed out that the committee preserved SNAP’s ability to serve the most vulnerable long into the future.
“At the same time, we’re strengthening the farm safety net and delivering critical support to the farmers, workers, and communities that keep America fed,” he added. “These common-sense solutions help build a stronger, more resilient rural America.”
Among Rep. Johnson’s priorities included in the package is the America Works Act, H.R. 1528, which he sponsored in February alongside four GOP original cosponsors, including U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA), to expand the applicability of work requirements for SNAP recipients who are able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs), who have work-related requirements in addition to the general SNAP work registration and employment and training requirements, according to the Congressional Record bill summary.
The reconciliation package is consistent with Rep. Johnson’s bill in that it raises the ABAWD age to 64 years old, lowers the dependent age to seven years old, and defines geographic areas to county or county equivalent. It also removes SNAP eligibility for non-citizens.
Another included priority is the bipartisan Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025, H.R. 1383, which both Reps. Johnson and Thompson cosponsored with fellow lawmakers including U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO). Language from the measure would provide federal funding for rural schools on national service lands, according to a bill summary provided by the lawmakers.
“I’m grateful to my colleagues on the committee for their hard work, and I look forward to passing this bill in the House and delivering results for families across the country,” said Rep. Thompson.