WASHINGTON, D.C. — Farm bills are fertile ground for highlighting regional policy differences that crisscross political party lines. But in this election year, sharply partisan debate has characterized the largest line item in the farm bill: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.

SNAP accounts for more than 70 percent of farm bill expenditures. Earlier this month, the House Committee on Agriculture passed its version of the bill that included more than $16 billion in SNAP cuts.

“This is a balanced, reform-minded, fiscally responsible bill that underscores our commitment to production agriculture and rural America, achieves real savings and improves program efficiency,” said committee Chair Frank Lucas (R-Okla.).

Comments from Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack showed that sentiment is not necessarily shared by the Executive Branch. “Unfortunately, the bill produced by the House Agriculture Committee contains deep cuts in SNAP, including a provision that will deny much-needed food assistance to three million Americans, mostly low-income working families with children, as well as seniors,” he said. “These cuts wouldn’t just leave Americans hungry – they would stunt economic growth.”

But Democrats are not letting the SNAP provisions stand in the way of urging the farm bill to the House floor. Last Thursday, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) sent a letter addressed to the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and the American Farm Bureau Federation, as well as many other groups, to support efforts from farm and food advocates to encourage the House to consider the bill.

“We know that a diversity of views exists about specific provisions contained in the bill,” wrote Pelosi. “For example, I do not support the cuts to food and nutrition programs.

“But, these differences are all the more reason to bring the bill up for a vote under an open rule that provides all members with an opportunity to debate the issues, offer amendments and, most importantly, move to a conference with the Senate.”

Also last Thursday, 38 Republicans and 24 Democrats signed a letter to House leadership urging action on the farm bill.

“The message from our constituents and rural America is clear: We need a farm bill now,” they wrote. “We ask that you bring a farm bill up before the August District Work Period so that the House will have the opportunity to work its will.”

Final SNAP language is expected to be much closer to the Senate proposal, calling for $4 billion in SNAP savings. An amendment proposing that the House bill reflect the Senate’s version of SNAP cuts failed in committee. Yet another failed amendment would have kept SNAP funding at current levels.

“I remain concerned with the proposed changes to nutrition programs. There are better, more responsible ways to improve and reform federal nutrition programs; ways that would clean up some of the mess states have made with these programs,” said Ag Committee Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-Minn.).

The SNAP cuts include about $1.2 billion in annual spending for “updating program eligibility,” beginning in 2014, and more than $500 million in annual cuts to “standard utility allowances,” starting in 2015. According to a July 5 Congressional Budget Office scoring of the House plan, these two areas make up most of the $16 billion in proposed SNAP cuts.

The eligibility savings proposed in the House bill would restrict SNAP eligibility to only those households receiving cash assistance from Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or other state general assistance programs.

The savings in “standard utility allowances” refer to what Republicans term a loophole in the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

While rhetoric from Democrats has generally focused on the eligibility cuts, the cuts to LIHEAP have prompted heated debate between legislators. According to House Republicans, some states send LIHEAP payments of $1 or $5 to low-income households simply so those households qualify to receive higher SNAP benefits.

Democrats say the LIHEAP program benefits SNAP recipients in urban areas who may not qualify for LIHEAP assistance when energy bills are included in rent payments.

Despite party differences around SNAP, representatives from both sides called for the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act to reach the House floor.

“The bottom line is that we need to move the legislation, and I understand that these are the cuts (to SNAP) that need to be done in order to get the farm bill through committee and through the House floor,” said Peterson.

H.R. 6083 passed the Ag Committee by a vote of 35-11 on July 12. The Senate’s bill passed the full chamber on June 21.