Washington, D.C. – August 10, 2010 – Today, the House of Representatives voted to pass the “FMAP” bill (technically the Federal Aviation Administration Bill, with amendments), which includes aid to states and funding for teachers’ salaries and Medicaid. This bill reduces SNAP (food stamp) benefits to generate $11.9 billion of the money to pay for the bill. While these are important legislative priorities, FRAC is outraged that SNAP benefits were cut in order to move this legislation forward.
The raid on SNAP must stop. These are real cuts with real impact on low-income households who, for the first time, will see their benefits fall from one month to the next. In recent days, a significant number of Members of Congress pledged to restore the cuts. FRAC will work to hold them to this promise.
The first step to stop the raid on SNAP benefits is to stop further cuts. On top of the cuts contained in today’s FMAP bill, the Senate last week passed another bill – the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act which reauthorizes the child nutrition programs – that further reduces SNAP benefits. It’s a child nutrition bill that will make children hungrier. The House must absolutely reject any further cuts in SNAP and pass its more robust version of Child Nutrition Reauthorization (H.R. 5504).
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