The House Republicans’ reconciliation bill, primarily scrutinized for its Medicaid cuts, also includes significant changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the nation’s largest anti-hunger initiative.
SNAP is designed to assist low-income families in purchasing food, with funding provided by the federal government and administration by state agencies. Currently, approximately 41 million Americans benefit from this program.
The proposed legislation aims to reduce SNAP spending by $300 billion. This would be achieved by requiring states to bear a larger financial burden and by implementing more stringent work requirements for SNAP recipients.
In a statement, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) criticized the proposal, saying, “Instead of working with Democrats to lower costs from President Trump’s across-the-board tariffs, House Republicans have decided to pull the rug out from under families by cutting the SNAP benefits. This means more seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and children will go to bed hungry.”
The proposed cuts are intended to help finance the extension of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which is largely seen as benefiting the wealthy and large corporations.
Under the Republican plan, states would need to cover 5% of SNAP benefits and additional administrative expenses. For 28 states, this represents a shift of 25% of costs currently covered by the federal government. This financial pressure might compel states to either reduce SNAP eligibility or cut funding for other services.
Elaine Waxman, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute, discussed potential state responses with the Washington Post, stating, “States will do different things depending on their positioning, but I don’t see any scenario where they’re able to avoid significantly cutting SNAP.”
The reductions in SNAP funding could also negatively impact farmers, as a substantial portion of their revenue is derived from SNAP purchases. The program supports local economies and smaller farms, notably through sales at farmers’ markets.
President Donald Trump’s administration had previously targeted SNAP, requiring able-bodied recipients to work 20 hours weekly for at least three months within a 36-month timeframe. Although states could exempt individuals in high-unemployment areas, the White House restricted these waivers in 2019, resulting in nearly 700,000 people losing benefits.
The states with the highest SNAP usage—Louisiana, Oklahoma, and West Virginia—were among those that supported Trump in the 2024 election.
The post It’s not just Medicaid—House Republicans want to cut food stamps too appeared first on American Journal News.
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