Tell Congress not to support the harsh cuts to SNAP in the House Farm Bill

The House of Representatives recently introduced its version of the 2018 Farm Bill reauthorization (H.R. 2). The bill proposes significant changes to domestic nutrition programs, which could result in up to 2 million people losing access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Your voice is needed as the House is set to vote on the bill as early as next week.

Tell your member of Congress to insist on changes to H.R. 2 that protect people who are poor and hungry.

The bill's severe cuts to SNAP through burdensome and unnecessary work time limits and restrictions on eligibility will lengthen the lines at food pantries, soup kitchens, and other sites that serve hungry people. We stand with Catholic Charities in opposing H.R. 2 - the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 -and to come up with a bipartisan bill that protects and strengthens this vital program.

We must ensure that people around the world have consistent access to sufficient nutritious food. Unfortunately, 1 in 9 people in our world do not have enough to eat, which includes more than 15.6 million households in the United States. That is why the Sisters of Charity Health system stands with Catholic Charities in opposing the proposed significant changes to domestic nutrition programs in the 2018 Farm Bill.

Programs like SNAP help those most critically vulnerable and hungry here in the United States. Programs like SNAP help feed those living below the poverty line. The way we treat hungry families shows who we are as a nation.

The $100 billion legislative package, which Congress largely renews every five years to subsidize agriculture and food assistance programs, needs bipartisan support to pass the 60-vote threshold in the Senate. Eighty percent of the farm bill’s spending is on nutrition programs.

Currently, the House Republicans’ proposed farm bill, is estimated to slash $20 billion from SNAP over the next 10 years. More than 2 million people could be pushed off the program, according to an analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, if the stringent proposed work requirements and anti-fraud measures are put into place. The House is expected to vote on the bill in the next week. The Senate has yet to put together its own version.

A sample letter is available here for you to send to your representative to tell him/her that changes to H.R. 2 are needed to protect people who are poor and hungry.