URGENT ACTION Needed: Urge Your Senators to Vote “NO” on Senate Bill That Slashes SNAP

Urgent action is needed to protect SNAP — the nation's most effective anti-hunger program — ahead of an anticipated Senate Floor vote the week of June 23.  

Senate Republicans have introduced a reconciliation bill that echoes the House's approach to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), proposing sweeping and deeply concerning cuts. While not identical, the Senate proposal poses a similarly serious threat to food assistance for millions of Americans.

All of the provisions are harmful, including restructuring SNAP's funding model. Right now, SNAP is a federal-state partnership. The federal government pays 100 percent of food benefits and shares administrative costs equally with states. This proposal would change that by shifting some of the benefit costs and increasing the administrative costs to states from 50 percent to 75 percent. Beginning in fiscal year (FY) 2028, states would be required to contribute toward the cost of SNAP food benefits, in addition to increased administrative costs. For example, if this change took effect today with the most recent SNAP accuracy data (from FY 2023), 43 states would pay benefit costs ranging from 5 to 15 percent. This estimate may worsen should Congress remove the small “grace” buffer that currently forgives minor payment errors.

The Senate proposal would also negatively impact grandparents, older adults, and parents with school-age children — narrowing the definition of a dependent child to those under age 10 (current law impacts parents with adult children 18 and older) — by limiting benefits to three months in a three-year period unless they can prove they work 20 hours a week, regardless of caregiving responsibilities, access to child care, or other barriers. The bill also has ripple effects for children in SNAP households, as they can lose streamlined access to school meals and child nutrition programs.

States cannot afford this. Learn more about what else is at stake in the Senate Agriculture Committee's reconciliation bill.  

Take Action Now: Contact Your Senators Today!  
Send a letter (text provided below) directly to your Senators to vote NO on the Senate reconciliation bill, which will cause greater hunger and hardship for children, families, veterans, older adults, and millions more— in addition to slashing life-saving health benefits via Medicaid. These draconian cuts are being made exclusively to finance tax cuts to the wealthy and corporations.

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Please Reject SNAP Cuts in the Senate Budget Reconciliation Bill

Dear [elected official],

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As your constituent, I urge you to vote NO on the Senate reconciliation bill that cuts, guts, and weakens the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid. This bill represents the largest cuts and structural changes in SNAP’s history — and the consequences in our community would be devastating.

One of the most alarming provisions in the bill is a massive restructuring of SNAP’s funding model. Currently, SNAP is a federal-state partnership. The federal government pays 100 percent of food benefits and shares administrative costs equally with states.

This bill would change that by shifting some of the benefit costs — up to 15 percent for some states — while also increasing the administrative burden to states from 50 percent to 75 percent. States cannot afford this.

SNAP is essential for millions of low-wage working families, including children, older adults, and people with disabilities. Specifically, the Senate bill would negatively impact grandparents, older adults, and parents with school-age children — narrowing the definition of a dependent child to those under age 10 (current law impacts parents with adult children 18 and older)  — by limiting benefits to three months in a three-year period unless they can prove they work 20 hours a week, regardless of caregiving responsibilities, access to child care, or other barriers. Research shows that SNAP improves health outcomes, reduces child hospitalizations and developmental delays, and supports educational success. Research also shows that these time limits do not promote hard work but instead create more hardship. Imposing these new restrictions would worsen public health and drive-up health care and education costs.

Economically, SNAP is a proven engine. Every $1 in benefits generates up to $1.80 in economic activity during economic downturns. In the independent grocery sector alone, SNAP supports nearly 200,000 jobs, $16 billion in wages, and $2 billion in tax revenue. These numbers grow dramatically when factoring in the full food retail industry. Cuts would hurt families and local economies, especially in rural and low-income areas. The nearly 30 percent projected cut to SNAP would devastate the economy in our state throughout the supply chain from farmer to store

Additionally, cutting SNAP would force more families into food insecurity and place even greater pressure on food banks and charities, which already struggle to meet demand. For every nine meals SNAP provides, food charities can supply only one. These organizations cannot absorb the gap that would be left by such severe cuts. Similarly, shifting costs to the states would create an unfunded mandate, forcing them to choose between cutting vital food aid or gutting other critical programs.

I urge you to vote NO on the Senate reconciliation bill and to speak out to protect SNAP. These proposed cuts and structural changes to SNAP would have serious, lasting consequences for the health and well-being of people in our community and would negatively impact our local economy.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

Sincerely, [Your information here]