Radel’s case comes as lawmakers try to agree on food stamp policy. | M.Scott Mahaskey/POLITICO Radel case raises food stamp debate

A provision in the House-version of the farm bill that would give states the option to require food stamp recipients to be drug tested is garnering renewed attention after a congressman who voted in favor of it pleaded guilty to cocaine possession charges.

Rep. Trey Radel voted in favor of the final version of the House farm bill that included the amendment offered by Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) weeks before Radel was arrested in Washington, D.C.’s Dupont Circle neighborhood as part of a drug sting operation. The amendment originally passed by a voice vote in the House, despite Democratic opposition.


Radel’s run in with law enforcement comes as farm bill conferees try to resolve their differences — the biggest one being cuts to the food stamp program — by the end of the week. Rep. Frank Lucas, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, told reporters Tuesday the deadline for a deal would have to be this week in order for the legislation to be enacted in time.

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Although Democrats on the conference committee have been vocal in their opposition to reforming SNAP, the drug testing provision has not received much attention in recent weeks.

But House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi pointed it out Wednesday in the aftermath of the disclosure of Radel’s charges. She reportedly told BuzzFeed that Radel’s situation might “humanize” that provision for House Republicans.

“It’s really interesting it came on the heels of Republicans voting on everyone who had access to food stamps get drug tested. It’s like, what?” she said.

( Also on POLITICO: 10 things to know about Trey Radel)

During the debate on the amendment, Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) reportedly asked: “Why don’t we drug test all the members of Congress here. Force everybody to go urinate in a cup or see whether or not anybody is on drugs?”

A spokesman for McGovern, Michael Mershon, told POLITICO on Wednesday that the congressman had “no interest in ‘piling on’ somebody going through a tough time just because he has an ‘R’ next to his name.”

“Congressman McGovern thought the amendment was degrading and mean-spirited in June and he continues to believe that. He will work to remove it during the farm bill conference,” Mershon said.

( Also on POLITICO: Full agriculture policy coverage)

A spokesperson for Hudson’s offices said the North Carolina Republican will remain committed to allowing states to decide if they want to drug test welfare recipients and that the merits of the policy have nothing to do with Radel’s situation.

In a letter to farm bill conferees in October, Hudson also joined others in his party to push for multiple House-passed reforms to SNAP, including his drug testing amendment.

“Additional reforms passed by the House, including the option for states to require drug testing for participants, the option to eliminate access to the program for violent criminal offenders, and elimination of funding used for recruitment activities, are critical for real reform in this program,” the letter stated.