In response to the ongoing consideration of the Farm Bill, Carrie Welton, Senior Director of Policy & Advocacy: Anti-Poverty & Basic Needs at The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS) released the following statement:
“As lawmakers in the Senate and House debate the must-pass 2024 Farm Bill, we urge members to reject any cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Such cuts would worsen food insecurity and increase financial instability for millions of Americans who strive to achieve long-term financial independence while meeting their basic need for food.”
“SNAP is our nation’s most important and effective anti-hunger program, improving the ability of over 41 million people to afford groceries. Additionally, SNAP serves as a lifeline for people experiencing financial hardship, acts as an economic stabilizer during economic downturns, and benefits entire communities where SNAP dollars are utilized. Any cuts to the program will be a compounding blow to families, including over 4 million food insecure students, who are struggling to make ends meet from increased costs of food and housing and other essentials. Cuts to SNAP would make situations worse for households with lower incomes who spend a larger proportion of their income on core needs such as housing and food, and who consequently feel more pressure from inflation.”
“Instead, the reauthorization of the Farm Bill presents an opportunity to update programs to reflect current economic conditions. While both House and Senate frameworks include provisions for investment in agricultural programs at institutions of higher education, these investments are undermined by current SNAP policies that effectively restrict people with low incomes from pursuing postsecondary programs, denying food assistance to the very students that could enroll in those programs.”
“Members of Congress who are concerned with SNAP costs and are committed to supporting the ability of people to move toward financial independence should prioritize policies that preserve and improve SNAP, namely by improving participants’ ability to combine work and education. Unfortunately, current SNAP policies that exclude or restrict education discourage participants from completing high-quality education and training programs that research shows lead to stronger economic mobility.”
“TICAS urges members to reject cuts to SNAP and commit to modernizing the program—consistent with approaches to other titles in the Farm Bill—by improving SNAP’s ability to connect people to credentials that improve income. The resulting wage gains could lead to less use of SNAP over time and drive down program costs. Our Farm Bill Recommendations detail how Congress can ensure SNAP supports evidence-based pathways that lead to better employability and support economic mobility for millions of Americans.”
