If the Farm Bill to be considered in the House Committee on Agriculture on May 23 becomes law, it will mean a cut of nearly $30 billion in future SNAP benefits over a decade.
Such cuts are unconscionable. For many children, they will make learning more difficult and lead to negative health outcomes. They will force families and older adults to choose between putting food on the table and paying for other expenses such as rent, utility bills, or prescription drugs. They will also harm our economy, removing the stimulative benefits of SNAP and even hurting farmers and ranchers along the way.
SNAP is the most effective anti-hunger program in the U.S. It reduces hunger by 30% and provides nutritious meals to one-quarter of America’s children.
The House bill makes these cuts by limiting the USDA’s ability to update the Thrifty Food Plan, which determines SNAP benefit levels, to reflect the real costs of a nutritious diet, based on science, along with reflecting food prices that remain stubbornly high. This will make it tougher for families experiencing food insecurity as well as the food banks that aid them. These would be the largest cuts to SNAP benefits in almost 30 years if enacted. In addition, these changes will trigger more than $500 million in cuts to Summer EBT, which provides grocery benefits to children in low-income families during the summer when schools are closed, along with $100 million in cuts to The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), which provides food for food banks and food pantries to distribute to individuals and families.
The House bill also would allow states to let private corporations take over determining eligibility for SNAP. Where this has been tried, replacing merit-based staff resulted in corporate skimping on careful help to people applying for or renewing benefits in order to maximize profits. It would also reverse previously enacted steps to reduce agriculture-caused greenhouse gas emissions.
During this time when many families grapple with the cost of housing and food, Congress must do everything in its power to provide relief to those who need it most.
Click “Start Writing” to send a message to Congress urging them to reject any and all cuts to nutrition programs in the FY2025 Farm Bill.
3:00 PM
Hosts:
Rep. Ro Khanna and Rep. Raúl Grijalva
Sponsors:
The Center for Economic and Policy Research, the Washington Office on Latin America and the U.S. Network for Democracy in Brazil.
Location:
Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC
Room 2325
Please join us for a screening of the short documentary “I, A Black Woman, Resist” followed by a discussion with two leading experts on racism and feminism in Brazil about the life and legacy of Afro-Brazilian leader Marielle Franco, a staunch critic of police brutality and state-sanctioned violence who was assassinated on March 14, 2018.
Deeply rooted in the longstanding tradition of Black Feminist activism in Brazil, Marielle Franco dedicated herself to speaking truth to power and to uplifting and empowering marginalized communities in Brazil up until the final moments of her life. Featuring a first-hand account from Dr. Barber of the last event that Marielle attended at Casa das Pretas (Black Women’s House) on the night of her assassination, this short documentary seeks to raise awareness, build consciousness, and facilitate dialogue around the necessity of transnational solidarity in the fight against racism and the global struggle for Black Lives.
Co-Director Dr. Sharrelle Barber will speak and answer questions about her inspiration to create this documentary that bears witness to Marielle Franco’s life. Dr. Gladys Mitchell-Walthour will discuss the broader context of human rights and democracy in Brazil and the status of the Afro-Brazilian rights movement at this challenging juncture in the country’s history.
Please RSVP and direct questions to Marilyn.Zepeda@mail.house.gov.