Republicans in the House and Senate are proposing to slash more than $230 billion from SNAP and school nutrition programs in order to fund more tax handouts for the wealthy and billion-dollar corporations. But it’s far from a done deal.
SNAP is not only our most effective anti-hunger program, it plays a crucial role in reducing poverty and improving health and economic outcomes. It’s also linked to better education outcomes and self-sufficiency, and plays an important role in supporting rural communities.
SNAP is one of the most cost-effective government programs in existence. Every dollar spent on SNAP generates $1.80 in local communities. Cuts to SNAP and school nutrition programs will have devastating consequences for generations to come.
Individual states currently pay a portion of the cost of administering SNAP, while the federal government pays the actual benefits. Implementing a $230 billion cut could force states to take on a portion of the cost of nutrition benefits for the first time, a radical change in the program that could lead to drastic cuts, increasing wait times for approval for benefits, or put a huge squeeze on states leading to slashed investments in other programs.
Cutting SNAP (and Medicaid, another right-wing target) also makes it harder for eligible families to obtain free or reduced-price school meals, summer food assistance for school-aged children (Summer EBT), and WIC benefits. School meal programs and Summer EBT automatically enroll eligible children using SNAP and Medicaid, while WIC agencies use automated systems to check for SNAP or Medicaid eligibility. In addition, the House Budget Committee has put forth numerous specific budget-cutting proposals, including a $12 billion cut to free school breakfast and lunch programs, affecting 24,000 schools nationwide.
Cutting funding for nutrition programs in order to pay for some of Trump’s $4.5 trillion tax handout―mostly to the wealthy and corporations―is an abomination.
Please join the Coalition for Human Needs for a webinar on Thursday April 24 at 3:00 pm ET to learn about recent analysis commissioned by the Center for American Progress and prepared by Hart Research on behalf of an alliance working to protect health care, food assistance, and other basics for people who need support including Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Center for Law and Social Policy, Coalition on Human Needs, Community Change, and National Women’s Law Center among other partners.
Attendees of the webinar will learn key findings and messages to help you defend basic needs programs, including strategies for supporting Medicaid, SNAP, housing, and other federal programs serving low-income people in the face of proposed cutbacks. When Congress returns on April 28 from its 2-week recess, they will be working to make basic needs program cuts. The experienced analysts at Hart Research have information we need to fight back.
The webinar will be recorded, and the recording and slides will be shared with registrants.
NOTE: this webinar is not open to the press.