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.
You’ve probably heard about Project 2025 – which produced a 900+-page compendium of extremist proposals put out by the right-wing Heritage Foundation (although the head of the project left the Heritage Foundation after Project 2025 proved intensely unpopular). So why should you know about these plans? Because they have been developed by many with connections to the former Trump Administration and are similar to certain proposals before Congress now. Whoever wins the election, these proposals to shrink human needs programs may emerge – and we have to be ready.
During this webinar, you’ll learn about Project 2025 proposals to limit Medicaid and other health programs and to eliminate education and early childhood programs as well as limiting access to free school meals. You’ll also learn about efforts to politicize the federal workforce and limit protections for voters and consumers and against discrimination. And very important – you’ll hear about public opinion research showing just how unpopular these proposals are, and how that can strengthen our advocacy for meeting human needs and for basic justice.
Watch a recording of it here.
List of speakers: