On Monday, June 10, the U.S. Senate passed its Farm Bill by a vote of 66-27. The Senate bill, a comprehensive piece of legislation setting many of our nation’s farm and food policies, includes a huge cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Specifically, the Senate bill cuts $4.1 billion from SNAP over ten years by eliminating “Heat and Eat” programs in the 15 states (plus the District of Columbia) that coordinate their SNAP and energy assistance (LIHEAP) programs. While the Senate’s restriction on “Heat and Eat” programs will not impact families in Nebraska, they will make putting food on the table increasingly difficult for an estimated 500,000 Americans.
The true danger for Nebraska families is the proposed cuts in the House’s version of the Farm bill, which is set for debate later this month. The House Farm Bill includes SNAP cuts of almost $21 billion over 10 years. Nearly 2 million Americans are projected to lose access to food through SNAP if these cuts went into effect.
The Senate bill’s cuts and those proposed in the House are deeply alarming. Cuts to SNAP would prove devastating for the many people struggling to put food on the table in our recovering economy. SNAP is a crucial safety net for those experiencing food insecurity. We hope Nebraska’s congressional delegation will makes decisions that ensure hard working Nebraska families are protected at each step in the Farm Bill process.
Call your congressman and ask them to protect SNAP for working families here in Nebraska.
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District 1 – Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (202) 225-4806 or (402) 438-1598
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District 2 – Rep. Lee Terry (202) 225-4155 or (402) 397-9944
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District 3 – Rep. Adrian Smith (308) 384-3900 or (202) 225-6435