Politico: House Agriculture Committee approves $300 billion in nutrition spending cuts

SNAP Helps 145,913 of Rep. Bresnahan’s Constituents Put Food on the Table

Scranton, PENNSYLVANIA – Yesterday,  Rep. Rob Bresnahan (PA-08), along with his Republican colleagues on the  House Agriculture Committee, voted to slash food aid by as much as 300 billion dollars. Across Pennsylvania, SNAP helps over two million people put food on the table, including nearly 150,000 of Rep. Bresnahan’s own constituents.

"At  a time when the cost of food and other everyday essentials continues to  remain high, SNAP benefits provide resources for the lowest income  households to help purchase food,” said Jennifer  Warabak, PA-08 resident and Executive Director of the Commission on  Economic Opportunity/Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank. “This  steady, reliable resource is what keeps many working families -  especially those with children - afloat when financial times are tough.  If SNAP benefits are reduced, eligibility is limited, or additional  bureaucratic barriers are created, the result will be increased food  insecurity and increased demand on an already under-resourced charitable  food system."

Ahead of the committee markup, Bresnahan had promised that he would “not support any legislation that cuts benefits for the  people of Northeast Pennsylvania that they depend upon.” Despite this  assurance, he voted to put an undue burden on states by requiring them  to pay for a portion of SNAP benefits, cut funding for school meals, expand work requirements for families, and block future benefit increases through the Thrifty Food Plan, ultimately cutting benefits for all SNAP participants.

“In  a disappointing yet unsurprising move, Congressman Rob Bresnahan voted  in favor of a tax plan that slashes SNAP benefits for eligible families  to fund billionaire tax breaks. These cuts will benefit the wealthiest  among us at the expense of working families, children, seniors,  veterans, and people with disabilities,” said Rachele Fortier, executive director of Affordable Pennsylvania. “Across  Pennsylvania, families are struggling to keep up with rising costs. We  deserve representatives in Congress who will fight to make life more  affordable for us. We urge Rep. Bresnahan to fight for his constituents  and protect benefits for families in need, rather than fight to line the  pockets of billionaires.”

Millions of Americans could lose access to SNAP benefits under these proposals.

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