Congresswoman Norma Torres Leads Amendments to Safeguard Americans' Privacy and Protect Public Servants in Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Related Agencies Bill

Congresswoman Norma Torres led three amendments during the Appropriations Committee Markup of the FY2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Related Agencies Bill, aimed at protecting tens of millions of Americans' personal information from DOGE and safeguarding public servants who work to ensure the safety and supply of infant formula. The bill, despite containing critical amendments, was ultimately voted against by Congresswoman Torres, who criticized the Republican-led bill for recklessly cutting vital programs that support farmers and agricultural communities.

Key Takeaways:

• The House Republican FY26 Agriculture-FDA Appropriations bill cuts overall funding by more than $1 billion, underfunding programs that support farmers and ranchers, lower costs for consumers, and help families put food on the table.
• The bill underfunds the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), which helps pregnant mothers and babies access free healthy foods, receive breastfeeding support, and connect with resources like medical, dental, and mental healthcare.
• The bill cuts rural wastewater funding, which may exacerbate water issues in communities in California, including those in Congresswoman Torres's district.
• Congresswoman Torres led three amendments to help improve the bill, which were rejected by Republicans:

+ No Sharing Personal Information with DOGE: This amendment prohibits agencies from sharing personally identifiable information with DOGE, protecting the privacy of tens of millions of Americans.

+ No Infant Formula Employee Firings: This amendment prohibits the firing of employees who work to ensure the safety and supply of infant formula.

+ No Bird Flu Employee Firings: This amendment protects employees working on bird flu issues by prohibiting their dismissal.

• As of June 20, 38 of the 70 human cases of bird flu in America have occurred in California.