WASHINGTON (July 23, 2019) – Following the announcement of a proposed rule this morning from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that would eliminate broad-based categorical eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, the Chairmen of the House Committees on Ways and Means, Education and Labor, and Agriculture issued statements on the potential of the rule to keep millions of Americans from the temporary food assistance they need.

“The Trump Administration’s action today will increase hunger and hardship for close to 2 million Americans, including those who live in my state of Massachusetts, where one in nine residents currently relies on SNAP to put food on the table,” said Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal of Massachusetts. “Congress rejected this very proposal in the 2018 Farm Bill, and it is unlawful for the administration to attempt to override the law without congressional authorization. This distressing action will have significant, harmful impacts on hungry families and children across the country.”  

“Despite clear evidence that nutrition is critical to a child’s health and development, the administration’s proposed rule would jeopardize access to free school meals for more than 500,000 low-income children,” said Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott of Virginia. “This is a counterproductive proposal that will make low-income students pay for the irresponsible Republican tax cut, which overwhelmingly benefited corporations and the wealthy while adding more than $1.7 trillion to the national debt. The proposed rule is a telling statement about the administration’s priorities.”

“The rule from USDA today ignores the bipartisan work we did on the 2018 Farm Bill,” said Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson of Minnesota. “This rule will kick millions off SNAP, including working families and hungry kids. This one-sided administrative action only makes legitimate efforts to make anti-hunger programs more effective and efficient that much harder.”