1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge the Senate to take up a Farm Bill or farm relief legislation that includes reversing the devastating cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that were included in the budget reconciliation law. The Senate must take a very different approach to help America’s families and farmers than that of the House-passed bill, which fails to address any of the harmful impacts of H.R. 1 on SNAP. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) confirms that the SNAP cuts are inflicting widespread harm on millions, particularly children, older adults, veterans, people with disabilities, and working families — translating into greater food insecurity and hardship at a time of rising costs and difficult household choices between food, rent, and medicine. The cuts are also having dire economic impacts in our state on local farmers, food retailers, and the overall national economy.  I urge you to advocate for the inclusion of provisions that are in the Restoring Food Security for American Families and Farmers Act, S. 3281 (https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3281), especially the provision which will undo the complex administrative changes that weaken SNAP and increase burdens on both recipients and program administrators. It is critically important that the Senate eliminate the new requirement that — for the first time in history — states must cover a share of SNAP program benefits. In addition, the Senate must include a provision to return to a 50 percent match for state administrative costs. The impact of this cost shifts to states is so severe that the Congressional Budget Office estimates that states will be forced to contribute $35 billion or leave the program entirely. This sweeping change comes on top of a bevy of program cuts that already has forced millions to lose access to SNAP benefits. We also need the Senate to address the expansion of punitive SNAP time limits, which is already forcing millions of Americans – including older adults, veterans, and caretakers – off SNAP for being unable to document 20-hour-per-week work reporting requirements. Research shows time limits do not increase employment; they only increase hunger and hardship. I also urge you to cosponsor the Improving Access to Nutrition Act, S. 1628 (https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1628/cosponsors), which will end the three-month time limit on SNAP. Restoring this funding is urgently needed, since the impacts also ripple across child nutrition programs, including school meals. I urge you to work with Senate leadership to enact legislation that mitigates the harm of the SNAP cuts in H.R. 1 – and to convey to them that no Farm Bill or farm relief package should pass the Senate without reversing these cuts. Thanks!