“At this time when skyrocketing food prices have increased hunger and food insecurity, forcing tens of millions of U.S. families to make impossible choices between food and other essentials, it would be mean-spirited and shameful for Congress to cut the SNAP benefits moms and families rely on; and it also would be damaging to our economy. Yet this is exactly what the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024, introduced by U.S. House Republican leadership today, would do. Its impact would be devastating.

“SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps) is the nation’s first line of defense against hunger. More than 42 million people count on SNAP benefits each month and nearly four in five of them are children, seniors, people with disabilities, or veterans. The Republican House leadership bill would exacerbate food insecurity and increase hunger in America by cutting roughly $30 billion in SNAP benefits over the next decade, eliminating U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Thrifty Food Plan benefit adjustments; and reducing SNAP benefits to even less than the current average, which is a meager $6 per person per day. Enactment of the House Farm Bill would cause grave and lasting harm.

“In contrast, the bipartisan Senate Farm Bill – the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act – aids farmers and treats hunger in America as the emergency it is. It is a bold bill that would protect SNAP benefits and increase access to this essential program for groups that have long been excluded, reducing barriers to participation for older adults, military families, some college students, and others. It is an easy choice. Without question, the Senate Farm Bill is the version that should become law.”