The Honorable Glenn “GT” Thompson
Chairman
Committee on Agriculture
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
The Honorable Angie Craig
Ranking Member
Committee on Agriculture
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Chairman Thompson and Ranking Member Craig:
The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, representing millions of older adults, writes in strong opposition to budget reconciliation legislation to be considered by the House Committee on Agriculture to cut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) a minimum of $230 billion.
In addition to facilitating healthy eating for children and families, SNAP provides monthly financial aid to an estimated 7.2 million older adults according to the National Council on Aging. SNAP benefits help older adults maintain their independence and for some, can mean the difference between going hungry and enjoying nourishing meals without worry. Regular access to healthy food helps older adults prevent and manage chronic conditions, improve their resistance to illness, maintain strong bones, and lower their falls risk. Having SNAP benefits also frees up extra money for prescriptions, health care costs, and other expenses that improve one’s health.
But if the Agriculture Committee significantly reduces the federal government’s nearly 50 year commitment to the nutritional needs of low income Americans by creating an unprecedented state cost share for SNAP benefits, cash strapped state governments will be hard pressed to make up the difference, particularly if the federal payment to state Medicaid programs is significantly reduced by your colleagues on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. According to the National Association of Business Economics Survey, about 40 percent of forecasters estimate there is a greater than 50 percent chance of a recession in the coming year. Hopefully, their estimates are wrong, but if a recession occurs, tax revenue to states will go down while the need for SNAP benefits will go up. Even without a recession, states would likely be forced to cut benefits and/or eligibility if a state cost share for SNAP benefits was mandated. Cutting SNAP benefits for seniors could easily result in higher costs for health care services rather than the budget savings envisioned by proponents.
In addition, we are deeply troubled about two proposals the Agriculture Committee may consider to comply with its $230 billion reconciliation instruction.
The first would roll back the 2021 update to the Thrifty Food Plan and permanently freeze its cost outside of annual inflation adjustments. Reversing this update and restricting future increases would cut SNAP benefits immediately upon taking effect, with the reduction compounding over time.
The second would dramatically extend SNAP’s existing harsh work requirements to older adults 55 to 64 and could take away food assistance from millions of people. The work requirement is particularly burdensome for mature and older Americans. According to an AARP survey, nearly two-thirds of workers 55 to 64 report that their age is a barrier to getting a job.
For the sake of your constituents, we urge you to vote NO on the Agriculture Committee’s budget reconciliation instruction to cut SNAP. Cutting the SNAP benefits of working Americans, individuals with disabilities and older adults would throw millions of Americans into deeper poverty and hunger.
Sincerely,
Max Richtman
President and CEO