U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Representative,
On behalf of the millions of members and supporters of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, I am writing to urge you to vote NO on H.R. 7567, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, when it is considered on the Floor of the House of Representatives. Members of the National Committee come from all walks of life and every political persuasion. What unites them is their passion for protecting and strengthening Social Security, Medicare, and the other programs that are so vitally important to older Americans.
In addition to facilitating healthy eating for children and families, SNAP provides modest monthly financial aid to an estimated 7.2 million older adults, according to the National Council on Aging (NCOA). At a time when millions of older Americans are struggling to put food on the table, afford necessary health care and medications, and pay for gasoline, utilities and other costs of living, this Farm bill would make their situation worse by effectively codifying the historic cuts to the SNAP program enacted in H.R. 1. The National Committee strongly opposed last year’s budget reconciliation bill as it slashed programs essential to the health and well-being of millions of seniors through massive cuts to both the SNAP and Medicaid programs, in large part to help offset the cost of large tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and profitable corporations. We underscore our opposition to the Farm bill for its failure to reverse any of the SNAP cuts.
Congress has an opportunity to ameliorate at least some of the negative impacts facing seniors by including a repeal of the unprecedented $187 billion in cuts to the SNAP program in H.R. 7567, but the majority has opted not to do so, despite the fact that the negative consequences have already begun to be felt in communities around the country. About 3.4 million fewer people have received food assistance since H.R. 1 was enacted, even though not all of the bill’s harsh provisions have been fully implemented at the state level. The reduced participation in SNAP has not been the result of improved economic circumstances as the cost of living has continued to skyrocket. The bill’s dramatic extension of the SNAP program’s harsh work requirements, in particular, has imposed a serious burden for mature and older adults. An AARP survey recently found nearly two-thirds of workers age 55-64 report that their age is a barrier to getting a job. Imposing work requirements on a population already facing age discrimination in hiring only adds insult to injury.
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 risk of falls. Having SNAP benefits also frees up money that can be used to help cover prescriptions, health care costs, and other expenses that improve one’s health. Cutting these benefits for seniors could easily result in higher costs for health care services rather than the budgetary savings envisioned by proponents.
An additional missed opportunity in this bill relates to the massive cost-shifting to states that was incorporated in H.R. 1. The bill significantly reduced the federal government’s nearly 50-year commitment to the nutritional needs of low-income Americans by creating an unprecedented state cost-sharing requirement for SNAP benefits, leaving cash strapped state governments hard pressed to find the resources to continue funding their programs, especially when combined with the Medicaid cuts imposed in H.R. 1. In fact, the National Governor’s Association, representing states led by both Democrats and Republicans, has urgently requested a delay in the implementation of the cost-shifting provisions to give the states time to effectively and accurately implement the new SNAP requirements. At a minimum, the Farm bill should incorporate language giving states time to find alternative resources so they are not forced to eliminate millions of low-income seniors from their SNAP rolls.
Cutting the SNAP benefits of workers, individuals with disabilities and older adults would throw millions of Americans into deeper poverty and hunger. For these reasons, we urge you to vote NO on the Farm bill.
Sincerely,
Max Richtman
President and CEO