By Lauren Burke
During a press conference outside the U.S. Capitol on March 25, members of the Congressional Black Caucus spoke out with concern about budgetary threats to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). CBC Chair Yvette Clarke spoke of “grave concerns” about the “Republican scheme to cut billions of dollars to cut SNAP benefits that held millions of American families.”
“Twenty percent of Black households have faced food insecurity compared to 7 percent of their white counterparts.
Forty-two percent of all SNAP recipients are children. In fact, 4 in 5 SNAP households include a child, an elder, or an individual with a disability,” the CNC Chair added. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program formerly known as the Food Stamp Program began during the Great Depression but has changed significantly over time. In 2008, the Food Stamp Program was renamed SNAP.
The 1980s saw budget cuts and stricter eligibility requirements under President Ronald Reagan. In the 1990s, a welfare reform push under President Bill Clinton led to the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996. That legislation mandated work requirements and restrictions on certain groups such as non-citizens.
Today with a push towards billions in cuts by President Trump and continuous talk of cuts to social programs by Elon Musk, Republicans in the U.S. House have been positioning to cut programs to free the budget up for a tax cut focused on the top 1 percent in the U.S. “It is outrageous that Republicans have spent all their time working to dismantle the social safety net including SNAP,” Rep. Clarke said outside of the Capitol today. “SNAP is not a handout, it is a lifeline,” she added. One of the lead members of the Appropriations Committee, Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-GA).
“SNAP’s effects go beyond just the people in need — it’s also the farmers and the businesses that provide the food,” Rep. Bishop said standing in front of ten of his colleagues as tourists and school groups listened nearby. If there are big cuts to SNAP, “over 285,000 jobs would be at risk” Rep. Bishop pointed out.
“Real people are going to be hurt if the $230 billion in SNAP cuts are forced upon the American people,” Rep. Bishop added. In 2023, approximately 36.8 million people in the U.S. were living in poverty, representing an official poverty rate of 11.1%. This figure reflects a slight decrease from the previous year’s rate of 11.5%, equating to about 37.9 million individuals in poverty in 2022.
