Tonko Votes Against $40 Billion Cut to Food Assistance

Press Release

Congressman Paul Tonko (D-NY) today voted against H.R. 3102, legislation offered by the House Republican majority that would cut $40 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP provides nutrition assistance to millions of low-income individuals and families and creates $1.80 in economic activity for every dollar in benefits. In New York's 20th Congressional District, 31,686 households receive SNAP benefits, a number that represents 11 percent of the Capital Region. Statewide, 3,186,788 New Yorkers participate in SNAP and receive an average benefit of $147.45 per month.

H.R. 3102 passed the floor of the House of Representatives this evening by a vote of 217-210 with only Republicans voting in favor of the measure. The White House has issued a veto threat on H.R. 3102, and the legislation is not expected to be addressed in the U.S. Senate.

"This legislation aims to balance the budget on the backs of our nation's most vulnerable -- low income families, seniors, hungry children, veterans, the disabled, and working poor -- and offers no real deficit reduction in return," Tonko said. "If House leadership truly wants to get serious about reducing food stamp rolls, we need to focus on jobs and growing the economy to get people off SNAP instead of wasting time and playing reckless ideological games on the floor of the House of Representatives."

H.R. 3102 contains a number of provisions that ignore the reality that millions of Americans continue to struggle with unemployment. For example, the bill would end governors' ability to waive SNAP's harsh time limit for people looking for work in time of high unemployment. Further, the House bill will cut school lunches for over 200,000 children and eliminate food assistance for 170,000 veterans.

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