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.
Register to view a recording of this webinar here. Find slides here.
There is a way to enact legislation in the Senate with only a simple majority (51 votes, not 60): it requires Congress to pass a joint budget resolution with “reconciliation instructions.” This webinar will explain how it works: what is allowed through reconciliation; what isn’t; how often this tactic can be utilized; likely timetables. We’ll discuss this in the context of the COVID Rescue Plan being advanced by the incoming Biden Administration.
Our expert presenters:
Joel Friedman, Vice President, Federal Fiscal Policy, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Tamara Fucile, Senior Advisor for Government Affairs, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Moderator: Debbie Weinstein, Executive Director, Coalition on Human Needs
This webinar is best suited to advocates who are working on federal policies/funding related to all aspects of the pandemic.
Want to dive in further? Here are some excellent resources on reconciliation:
“Then, a senator who believes a provision runs afoul of the Byrd rule could raise a point of order, and the presiding officer at that point could decide the point of order is “not well taken,” regardless of the parliamentarian’s advice.
The senator could then appeal the ruling of the chair. But under a special provision of the 1974 law that established the modern budget process, it would require 60 votes to sustain the appeal.”
That is, Vice President Harris could rule that a provision (for example, raising the minimum wage) was allowable, and it would take 60 votes to overrule that decision. By the infrequency of this move, it is clear it would not be done lightly.
We need lots of people to contact Congress in order for the American Rescue Plan to pass. Please help by forwarding this request to your lists for individuals to click and send emails to their senators and representative:
Please tell Congress to enact President Biden’s new COVID rescue plan.
The $1.9 trillion package, according to the New York Times, “includes more than $400 billion to combat the pandemic directly, including money to accelerate vaccine deployment and to safely reopen most schools within 100 days. An additional $350 billion would help state and local governments bridge budget shortfalls, while the plan would also include a dramatic increase in tax credits to help lift children, families, and workers out of poverty, $1,400 direct payments to individuals, more generous unemployment benefits, federally mandated paid leave for workers, food and housing aid, and large subsidies for child care costs.”
The essential legislation also provides critical aid to renters, people threatened with or experiencing homelessness, households unable to pay heat or water bills, and offers an extension of the eviction and foreclosure moratoria. Click on the link below to learn more about the plan and then write to your representative and senators.
If you have any questions please contact Nicolai Haddal: nhaddal@chn.org