Naugatuck Times

WASHINGTON – This week, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05), along with her colleagues Congresswoman Yadira Caraveo, M.D. (CO-08) and Congresswoman Emilia Sykes (OH-13), introduced the Food Access and Stability Act, a new bill that would make permanent the Special Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit expansion that recently passed in the Bipartisan Budget Agreement.

While the recently passed debt ceiling agreement included additional onerous work requirements that would limit nutrition benefits for some Americans, it also included an exemption from those requirements for veterans, unhoused people, and former foster youth. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates this will actually expand benefits to net 78,000 people (when also accounting for the Agreement’s cuts) and help feed some of the most vulnerable Americans. Under the Bipartisan Budget Agreement, this important provision sunsets in 2030. The Food Access and Stability Act makes that expansion permanent.

“One person struggling with food insecurity is one too many. We live in one of the wealthiest countries in the world - there is absolutely no excuse for lack of accessibility to nutritious food. While SNAP benefits for veterans, unhoused people, and foster youth are protected until 2030 there is no guarantee they will not face obstacles after the time limit,” said Congresswoman Hayes. “The Food Access and Stability Act, which I am thrilled to co-lead with Representatives Yadira Caraveo (CO-08) and Emilia Sykes (OH-13), would permanently extend access to SNAP for these vulnerable communities. I thank my colleagues for their leadership and look forward to working with them in this vitally important work.”

“As a doctor, I’ve seen the very real impact of these modest nutrition benefits to keep families in our communities fed. I don’t support onerous work requirements that would tear away benefits from people in need, but the Bipartisan Budget Agreement made an important step in the right direction to feed some of the most vulnerable among us,” said Congresswoman Caraveo. “I’m proud to put forth the Food Access and Stability Act to ensure our veterans and others in need don’t have to worry about where their next meal is going to come from.”

“I am proud to co-lead the Food Access and Stability Act which will help ensure veterans, those who are housing insecure, and young people aging out of foster care have access to food. No one in Ohio’s 13th Congressional District should ever have to worry about going hungry,” said Congresswoman Sykes. “The Food Access and Stability Act is a step towards combatting food insecurity in our communities by protecting our most vulnerable children and families.”

SNAP is the nation’s most important and effective anti-hunger program. More than 65% of SNAP participants across the country are in families with children and last year 41,206,900 Americans (or 1 in 8 people) used SNAP benefits to keep from going hungry.

Strong research evidence on SNAP’s existing work-reporting requirement shows that it does not increase employment or earnings but does cause many people to lose food assistance. Those who would be newly at risk of losing food assistance under these requirements have very low incomes, typically well below the poverty line, and would be pushed even deeper into poverty if they lose SNAP.

See a full fact sheet with data on SNAP recipients in Connecticut here; and see fact sheets for other states here.

See the full text of the bill here. 

Original source can be found here.