on this administration to stop is sabotage of the health care system and work with us on a bipartisan basis to protect and improve it. these are not normal times, but we cannot afford to be discouraged. resisting this president and his administration requires each of us to step up, raise our voices and fight back. it is an honor to fight alongside you. mahalo nuiloa. announcer 2: today on "the communicators, michael o'rielly joins us to talk about the end of net neutrality, what it means and efforts i state to continue operating under net neutrality rules. he will talk about a proposal to change federal rules setting the weekly minimum of children's television programming. watch "the communicators" at 6:30 eastern on c-span. >> looking at the farm bill.

>> it is a piece of legislation that takes things every five years, a major one that takes about as every american. covers all programs for american agricultural producers. the larger part of the spending is that snap program, nutrition, food stamps. that has been politically contentious because of what the house republican bill does to the food stamp program. >> what does it do? >> the stamp program has a shift in emphasis from programs that used to go to consumers, folks from the food stamp program that would be moved to job training. the republican argument is, we have unemployment that is low. we need people with skills. wouldn't people rather have jobs? democrats say these programs are not effective, you are creating a new bureaucracy that will not be effective, and despite the economic publicly debt recovery,

there are people that need aid. why are you trying to push them off? host: what is the state of the house bill in the senate? alan: it is largely dead on arrival of the agriculture committee has its own plan. unlike the house where it was rejected last month, narrowly passed on friday. the senate has been a much less partisan process because it does not touch the cap program. the senate agricultural committee had their bill passed out, 20-1. they will be taking it up next week. they will bring up the house bill, but that is procedural. they will substitute with their own plan. host: we want you to join our conversation today. we have three phone lines open. the first phone line is for those of you who work in the agriculture sector. call in at .(202)-748-8000

snap recipients, we want you to call at (202)-748-8001. and if you don't fit either of those categories, call in at (202)-748-8002 to join the conversation. what is the response from the industry to the house bill? alan: are you talking about the agriculture or -- ok. looking at agriculture, they have been fairly pleased with the current bill, and there are not a lot of major changes in the house or senate versions. the house version makes some adjustments to programs along the edges. there are changes to the dairy program, the senate bill, but these are not earth shakers. that is why you have had unified support. the battle has always been over snap. ae snap program isn't discretionary program. if you do nothing, snap continues. if you are concerned about changes in the house republican

bill, you are supporting the senate bill which makes minimal changes or you do nothing. the agricultural constituency that does have programs that need to be renewed really wants something to happen. the deadline is september 30. that is when the current legislation expires. after that, farm programs go away. host: so there isn't many changes to the snap program in the senate bill. what are the differences between what the senate wants to do and the house has done? alan: in terms of snap? ok. in the house you have to work training, job training requirements. you have basically more stringent standards for people who are called able-bodied adults without dependence, for them to be in the program. the range of people covered goes up. there is more stringent enforcement qualities. that is not that the senate does nothing in terms of the snap program. they create a national database to make sure nobody is getting

benefits in two states. they look at other programs, but their position is, and this was important for the bill, we will not put in anything that has not been proven and tested interchanging the snap program. in the house, there is this massive expansion that sounds pretty decent. they don't cut money from the program but shift it to job training. the track record of these projects isn't established or they have been at the pilot stage, rolling out on a nationwide level. democrats think it will not work. astoria,istine from new york will join us. what is your question? caller: to talk about the steve king amendment to the house version of the farmville -- farm bill. it is bad for animal rights and consumer rights, and what is its prospects in the senate? alan: you are talking about the interstate commerce amendment? caller: yes.

viewers let the understand, steve king, republican representative of iowa, has an amendment put in the farm bill that would free up state rules in terms of animal of commerceatment between the two states. it is very important to a lot of people in animal welfare and consumers because laws like california may pass one on cage free hands. they can use the market power to make other states follow their way. a lot of states do this. we get into arguments about the commerce clause of the institution and to answer that question, probably not going to get into the final version. this was included in the 2013 farm bill. it is controversial on agricultural interests especially in iowa which is the .umber one egg producer they like to see it, but it runs

on a lot of other people. not likely to make it. host: mary, from pennsylvania. what is your question? caller: how are you? host: i am doing fine. how are you? caller: i am doing good. i am calling about the [indiscernible] program. host: what is your question about the food stamp program? caller: is it a question or is it a statement? host: you tell us. you? lose caller: i am here. i am getting confused. i would like to say that i think the program would work if they operate it correctly. i think sometimes the people who are on food stamps -- host: we seem to have lost mary. we will go to anna from blooms

felt, new york. caller: my question i guess is that, in either the house or the senate proposals for the snap program, are there any conversations about the benefit related to the types of products purchase? duals can the reason i have that question is from anecdotal observation, working for a brief time in the retail setting and just observing. the types of products that are purchased are not those products that would be defined as .utritionally enhancing if the object of snap is to give individuals with food insecurity concerns the opportunity to

, freshetter products vegetable, type of that type of thing, what i see pop, energy candy, access and then they food pantries for food. that theam not sure intent of snap is being followed were actually resulting in a better nutritional health for the recipients. brings up anler excellent point. this is one of the biggest arguments. one thing, this is one of the things people get mad about is they go through the grocery store aisle and the exactly -- and see exactly what the caller

describes. who are -- poor food choices, they see the card, it makes them upset. pretty much all americans eat a lot of junk food. you can go to a lot of grocery stores and it would not just be people under the poverty line buying energy drinks. upper class, lower class. it becomes a public policy question especially when you see -- you see the obesity rates whether it is a good policy to subsidize about unhealthy foods. we could not possibly limit. it would be bureaucratic, but then you look at the women and children program. they do have limitations. it seems like it would be possible. from a public health standpoint, there would be reasons to make this limitation. from the public policy standpoint there are people in the community that say if you will give people money for food, tic andnot be paternalis

say you can buy this and not that. cigarette is not allowed. other foods can go. are nutritionists would like to see a change. this is a conversation, not something you will see changed in a final bill. talking with the agricultural policy reporter from bloomberg news. if you would like to join, we want you to call. if you work in agriculture sector, call (202)-748-8000. if you are a snap recipient, .arl -- call (202)-748-8001 everyone else we want you on the line at (202)-748-8002. we will go to frederick from carolina beach, north carolina. you work in the agriculture sector. what is your question? caller: my question is more fundamental than the farm bill billf, is why have a farm

in the first place? i ask why, then my response is, why -- i am thinking is be sort of altruistic, why are we supposed to from precise -- supposed to sacrifice people this way? someone's need is not a claim on my checkbook. can you hear me? host: oh yeah. caller: what i don't understand is why we are doing it in the first place. i don't -- i live on a farm, but i don't ask for any type of subsidy. i have a small farm, 25 acres in sampson county, north carolina. didather-in-law at one time grow tobacco and heavily subsidized, etc., etc., but let

the market you know determine then as a matter of fact, it will make it better so people can find jobs. alan: i love questions like this. if you would not mind my 90 so when younation, a look at smart programs, a lot date back to the 1930's and great depression when you had a very agricultural society needing help. you had a lot of production control. that was when you were slaughtering animals and dumping toers in milk and anything make people prosperous. after world war ii, into the an0's and 1970's, you saw evolution of for policy were the agricultural populist went down but there was an argument they needed support because farming is risky and up and down. it is crucial for people to be fed. you wed that with the nutrition

program, consumer subsidies into the 1980's, now you have the modern farm bill. a lot of farmers, and i'm glad he points this out, they don't get pharmasset of these -- though you don't get farm subsidies. a lot go to the upper midwest where they become very used to this system and in their defense, every country on earth subsidizes agriculture. as you try to let the market run things, you still are dealing with the global marketplace where that is not the way it works. you continue to have these programs that become part of the model, but like it is a larger question that the color asks, it is a larger question why can't we get out of this system where you are spending billions of dollars on a fairly healthy sector even the prices are going down which even only effects certain parts? it is -- you mentioned subsidies for tobacco. those went away 10 years ago

because of a buyout program. tobacco is running on market forces. ,ost: ernest, from pittsburgh pennsylvania. you work in the agricultural sector. what is your question? i heardmy question is this program already exist, and is it working? host: which program are you talking about? can you hear me? house'shat is the white position on the farm bill in the house or the senate? alan: that gives to the question of whether we will have a farm law. hesident trump has said supports the republican house bill, saying he likes the requirements. if you are the senate, that is a big red light lashing because he will not give up something with nine democrats with the work requirements. can congress get a final farm bill past?

if history is a guide, it may happen. even if you have disagreements on the snap program, you have a bigger difference in 2014, and you managed to get the farm bill. now you have a president who likes work requirements, those will go away to get something through congress. now we talk about the two thirds majority. can you get that by september 30? huge question. host: caffe from oregon. what is your question? caller: i had a question about the snap program. the gentleman has said something about them not being allowed to use them for hot food but i have been to restaurants in california before. it was jack-in-the-box or wendy's where they were able to hot food like that, fast food restaurants with their food stamps. didn't know that was allowed. alan: i have to check on the details. there have been hot food and

instance were that is allowed. i am talking in a general sense. heights, from maryland missouri. caller: question pertaining to the housing program. mortgage loans and subsidized rent, what will happen to those programs and how soon will it happen? interesting points. the farm bill is a reauthorization of the u.s. department of agriculture programs. while we talk about subsidies, it deals with development, housing, pretty much every sector of the rural economy because the usda is very expensive. every area gets modified by the farm bill, but that particular area doesn't have incredibly major adjustments. i would not expect huge changes in how business is being done. host: james from wichita, kansas. what is your question? caller: what we have learned

from other countries in regard to food policy. alan: what can we learn from other countries? on subsidies you see a lot of changes in regimes, everything from new zealand getting rid of farm subsidies and going very export oriented, the u.s. doing that. the european union is having a big debate over the common agricultural policy. agricultural systems become a big part of trade disputes. we see that in nafta with canadian dairy, the tpp. there is a lot to learn. how we can apply to the u.s. farm bill applies to the context. from spring hill, florida, snap recipients. what is your question? caller: i wanted to make a comment. i am a food stamp recipients, work at walmart. as a cashier. i see what people by with food stamps. i buy food to eat.

but i have seen it come through where halloween, they buy all the halloween kennedy on food stamps. things like that that should be restricted. you should not be able to buy pop, candy, these types of things. you should be feeding your children good quality meat, milk, things like that. the other thing i will say is this. from working at the wages that are paid is the reason why i get the food stamps is because i work all the hours they will give me. if i made a decent wage, i wouldn't need food stamps. i think those two issues should be addressed more than some of the other comments is people are making. alan: the caller does make very salient points. this gets back to the nutrition restrictions on food stamps.

is could have this government money, spend it responsibly. on the other hand, people celebrate with halloween as well. that is a point to be making. the other one is a large question about the structure of programs in america. one out of every seven people is using the snap program, unemployment 4%, that means a lot of working people who are qualifying for a what is happening to the wage structure and what you can get paid for a job in this country where apparently the government has to subsidize food purchases for people working very hard as cashiers at major companies? host: indiana, robert, what is your question? caller: first of all, thanks for c-span. first of all i think the republicans have a good idea. they are trying to get people in america to take responsibility and become financially independent and proud. the issue with snap program is it requires people to be honest,

and for the most part people are not going to be honest. the frowned -- the fraud is unprecedented. they don't actually that these and i -- vet these people got the situation that led to the point where they cannot become financially independent and take your of themselves. ofs is firsthand experience the access without any questions in any way, shape or form, just assuming that somewhere down the ,ine things didn't go well whatever may be and you are down on your luck. most of these people, and this is firsthand experience, their actions or inactions have led to the point where they cannot financially take care of themselves or purchase their own foods. alan: a couple points the caller makes, and he is giving a moralistic view of how government should be working. it is a talk of the deserving

poor. when you have one out of seven people using the program, there is a subset of people who have come through life's own choices. others are working at walmart and are not making enough to be out. how do you differentiate those folks and say, you made bad choices, no money or you whereas you are working for a job that does not hit the threshold, here is assistance? that is very difficult and one that historically has erred on the side of undeserving people in so as not to hurt people who can benefit from the assistance. phoning that will always be a question, a difficult one. it runs through many issues today. host: laura from watertown, south dakota, snap benefits. what is your question and tell us your situation. disabled,am declared but not through social security administration. this is the only thing i did

assistancefar as any . i want to add the food snap is tied in with the farm bill as far as the farmers getting their money regarding what their yields, their farms yield and produce. then also you have got to follow the money regarding what the state receives to advertise for the snap assistance program. personk receives $35 per just to advertise the snap program while south dakota only receives five dollars per person. also keep in mind for those states that did not go along with any medicaid enhancements for the poorest of the poor and the sickest of the sick, you have no medical insurance coverage in south dakota for people like myself that only made $5,000 in 2016.

in terms of the snap program being part of the farm bill, the caller clearly has a sophisticated understanding of the program. we will recall it was south dakota senator george mcgovern who was pushing for those. that is what got the farm bill pass, the coalition of urban nutrition advocates and rural folk looking for farm policy that gets this through congress. we will see if it succeeds. host: steve from burlington, kentucky. what is your question? caller: how're you doing? all these folks complaining about not making enough money and a living wage, my first question is, you have to have a skill set. flipping burgers are welcome to walmart is not a skill set. of course you will never get any living wage with that. that is my question and comment. alan: i have never been able to flip a burger to save my soul. i would argue with that.

getting to the republican job training plan, that is the idea behind the proposal. the idea that we have all these unfilled jobs that require people with skills. we had people on the snap program. maybe if we move money to job training and gave people the skills to fit this economy, they would not need to have government dependence. it is compelling and that is why you see a lot of support for this proposal as the question becomes how does it work in practicality? host: we would like to thank a lan bjerga for being here and walking us through the farm bill. [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2018] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] announcer 1: c-span, where history unfolds daily. c-span was created in 1979 by america's television companies. we continue to bring you unfiltered congress of congress -- picture c