To be filed under “Silver Linings”: The 43-day government shutdown gave lawmakers a good look at what’s going to happen once states are hit with the cuts to SNAP outlined in H.R. 1.
Hungry kids — 16 million of them. Over-burdened food banks. State administrators bouncing from pillar to post as they try to interpret directives from the Administration.
This picture apparently was bleak enough to inspire some lawmakers to rethink the situation. H.R.1, aka: The One Big Beautiful Bill, will slash nearly $200 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program over the next decade, with states required to pay a larger share of benefits starting next year. As those costs ramp up, states could be forced to reduce benefits or the number of kids who receive them, and many states could be forced to abandon the program altogether.
Unless……lawmakers introduced legislation this week in both the House and Senate that would reverse H.R.1’s cuts to SNAP and undo the state cost shift that will cripple the program. The Restoring Food Security for American Families and Farmers Act (H.R. 6088) would ensure that the 16 million children who rely on SNAP would continue to benefit from its critical role in helping them grow and reach their full potential.
“Sixteen million kids rely on SNAP to keep from going hungry,” said Chad Bolt, Senior Vice President for Economic Security at First Focus Campaign for Children. “Those kids need Congress to pass the Restoring Food Security for American Families and Farmers Act to reverse the cuts scheduled to go into effect starting next year. Anything less is a deliberate policy choice that sabotages our nation’s lowest-income children.”
Research has found that kids who participate in SNAP enjoy better health, not only as children but well into adulthood. They do better in school and have higher graduation rates. They are less likely to fall victim to abuse or maltreatment, because having a steady food budget reduces the household stress than can push even the best parents over the edge. For these and other reasons, the Restoring Food Security for American Families and Farmers Act is good for kids — and good for the country.
Learn more about the impact of SNAP and the importance of the Restoring Food Security for American Families and Farmers Act at First Focus on Children.