Bonamici Discusses Harmful Proposed Cuts to Food Programs with Oregon Advocates
Press Release
Congresswoman Bonamici met with Oregon Food Bank leaders and partner agency stakeholders to discuss the harmful cuts to nutrition programs currently under consideration as Congress considers the Farm Bill.
"The Farm Bill should provide a safety net for the tens of thousands of families, seniors, and people with disabilities who face hunger," said Bonamici. "Unfortunately, Republican leaders have proposed harmful cuts that would leave many vulnerable people in jeopardy. Nutrition programs such as SNAP and free school meals are critical to helping struggling families escape the devastating effects of poverty and hunger. I will continue demanding that Congress do better for our communities."
"Many folks have put energy and creativity over years into building survival kits," said Al Schmitt, Director of Community Outreach at Holy Trinity Catholic Church. "SNAP is a critical part of that survival kit. If SNAP gets taken away, how do they replace it?"
The Farm Bill includes the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, commonly known as food stamps. SNAP helps about 645,000 Oregonians have enough to eat--including 50,000 people in Washington County. The majority of SNAP participants are children, seniors, people with disabilities, and veterans.
"Housing and hunger are tied together," said Linda Dove, Pastoral Director at Bethlehem House of Bread. "Changes in housing throw off people's budgets and force them to dedicate their food budgets to rent."
The most recent Farm Bill considered by Congress failed in a vote on May 18, but is expected to come back for another vote soon. Bonamici opposed this harmful proposal for several reasons, but especially because it would slash more than $23 billion from SNAP. These cuts would remove food from the tables of tens of thousands of hungry Oregonians, and an estimated one million households nationwide. The cuts would also jeopardize access to free school meals for an estimated 265,000 low-income children each year. The bill expands work requirements for SNAP recipients, harming many older low-income Americans and ignoring the caregiving responsibilities and other barriers to employment that many people face.
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