DEmbrace the visit of the modern grocery store, Audrey Gwinith spent $ 159.01 on elements such as eggs, Greek milk, adventing shots, bread, chia seeds, cake, oats, milk, coriander rice and pig nickels. The entire bill has been paid by transferring the electronic benefit, or EBT card, which is how to pay beneficiaries of the supplementary nutritional assistance program (SNAP), to obtain groceries in participating stores, farmers and restaurant markets.
“Because I am a single mother and I do not receive the child’s support, I do not bear much help in the world,” said Gwenith, who is the mother of two young children. Several EBT purchases share it Social media To help others achieve the maximum benefit from their benefits. “I couldn’t pay the food if it was not for EBT. It was the savior.”
In the United States, more than One out of eight Families say they are having difficulty getting enough food. Snap, previously known as Food Stamps, helps more than 42 million People fill these gaps, and are considered the most effective tool in the country to fight hunger. But now, a program run by the US Department of Agriculture is facing attacks by Republicans in the House of Representatives who see deep discounts as a way to pay for an extension 2017 tax bill This benefits the wealthy.
On Tuesday’s night, the house was difficult for a budget decision that he called $ 4.5tn In tax cuts and two dollars in mandatory spending, which includes programs such as Snap and Medicaid.
Although it is not known exactly the amount that will be reduced from SNAP, some estimates say the financing can be reduced at least 20 %. The decision of the Budget of the House of Representatives enables the committees to reduce 230 billion dollars From the Agricultural Committee for 10 years in order to help extend the tax cuts of the highest 1 %, according to the non -party center on budget and politics priorities.
This means that millions who rely on Snap will get less help, and many of them may completely lose help, even amid height Food costs And inflation.
“Junction and poverty will not stop because you cut a program,” said Gina Plata Nino, Deputy Director of Snap at the Snap Research and Labor Center. “The food price continues to rise, things are more expensive, and people are concerned about the definitions in terms of consumer goods and people who rely on these benefits will not have any asylum.”
Discounts can be made by reducing how people are used SNAP, removing benefits from those who lose their jobs and arbitrarily protest at the utmost benefits. Congresses can also turn the surprise into a block grant and raise states that push part of the advantages, which may limit access to help at a time when families are already struggling.
Anti -Against groups are particularly concerned about the proposed adjustments Thrifty food planIt is used by the US Department of Agriculture to determine the amounts of interest and annual cost of living, or cola. A single Republican suggestion will reduce 150 billion dollars From the program by reducing the THRIFTY updates, which means that the benefits will be reduced to each American using Snap, which affects one in five children in the United States.
Republicans have sent mixed signals. Parliament Speaker GT Thompson (Republic of Pennsylvania) He said Last week, there will be no discounts in reconciliation or the next farm bill. But the other Republicans have indicated openness to this, and critics of the budget decision ask about how legislators cut 230 billion dollars without affecting Snap.
Even before the discounts, the current average benefit of simple prosecution is only about $ 6 per day per person, which means that they often lack what people already need. “When you think about the high cost of food, this is a small amount of food,” said Rachel Sabella, Director of No Kid Hungry New York, a non -profit organization that works to end childhood hunger. “People make difficult options in the grocery store.”
Six dollars do not get much these days in retailers of food. This year, the average price of eggs reached a record number of $ 4.95, and is expected to keep them climbing The United States also deals with the outbreak of persistent bird flu. The cost of a gallon of milk is more than $ 4 and costs a pound of $ 5.50, according to Consumer price index.
To reach, families often hide food to save them so that they will last for a month. Those who capture those who eat less or cut the sizes of their parts, and mothers say they sometimes give up food at the end of the month so that their children can eat. People also reduce protein and produce cheap filling foods like rice. For people who already make concessions, these proposed cuts will be devastating.
“I live in poverty, not ignorance, so I keep a monthly budget and closely monitor my agreement, which requires accuracy,” said Brightni Bellinger, who is visually weak and received about $ 80 a month. Bellinger usually spends its sudden dollars on the beson feed by the grass, which it says helps in combating iron deficiency, and fresh products from farmers’ markets. If the amount of its entitlement is reduced, it is likely to be unable to withstand the costs of this.
“How can people be balanced to make healthy dietary choices with spending wisely if they do not reflect the amount of sudden benefits accurately the current cost of a healthy diet?” She said. “The poor who buy food is not the cause of federal spending.”
After it was founded in 1964 As part of the Lindon Johnson war on poverty, the Republicans and Democrats targeted. The discounts in the program were made for the first time in the early eighties under the leadership of Ronald Reagan. Bill Clinton signed the 1996 Personal Settlement Law, which set time limits, reduced the maximum allocations and eliminates the eligibility of most legal immigrants for food seals. During his first term, Donald Trump tried to no avail to cut off the surprise 25 to 30%.
While the Biden Administration was praised to update the Thrifty Food Plan to enhance the amount of money that people have to buy food, Republicans have made the opposite of the main priority increase.
The lawmakers have criticized the Republican Party and the conservatives falsely consider this program as suffering from high administrative costs, fraud and abuse. (In 2023, about 6 % of sudden spending went to the state’s administrative costs and a few surprise Errors Because of the fraud on the part of the recipient.) They also attacked the recipients for their use in things like Sweetened drinks. Trump officials said they wanted it ban Sugar drinks, desserts and more, although similar efforts have failed in the past.
And the US Department of Agriculture, Brock RollinsOn Tuesday, it indicated that it plans to target SNAP under the guise of preventing immigrants who are not documented from receiving advantages, although they are generally prohibited from receiving food help.
When Snap benefits are cut, Researchers I found that children were more likely to admire food, in a bad health and at risk of delay in development. Snap is part of a larger ecosystem, defenders say that cutting the program will increase the costs of health care, poverty and hardship.
retail Also, the giants such as Walmart, Albertsons, Costco, Sam’s Club and Kroger will be strongly affected because sudden dollars are often spent there. more than 25 % Of all the dollars spent in Walmart and says nearly 95 % of the program’s recipients they are shopping in retail stores.
Food banks and woodules will also be severely affected by cutting. “If Snap is cut at the levels they are talking about, food banks will not be able to fill this gap – we are supposed to be an emergency system,” said Jasson Regez, Director of Politics and Call at Roderron Food Bank in New Mexico. “A reduction at this time, when the costs of food continues to rise, the timing is horrific. We cannot food on our way out of this.” The eighth of New Mexico has the highest hunger rates in the country and Reges said that many of their customers are already using Snap.
In Los Angeles, 25 % Of families facing food insecurity, much higher than the 14 % national average, and rates are expected to rise due to the effects of recent forest fires. “If the discounts made are enacted, we will need more reliance on charitable and community support to try to meet the increasing demand for our services,” said Chris Carter, chief policy and research director of Los Angeles, who has distributed the demand for our services. 14.2 million dollars A pound of food products and personal care through their network, which is 37 % compared to last year.
Snap advocates say that there are countless people who are eligible for help, but they are not applying for administrative burdens, social stigma and myths in depth about luxury and poverty in the United States. Food is not safe Old warriors They are less likely than Diyala who are registered in the kidnapper and data from the National Council for Khwakha shows that it is almost 9 million The elderly are qualified to get Snap, and they are not registered. Immigrants who are permanent residents or green card holders cannot apply for SNAP after a Five years The waiting period, although there are some exceptions for children and disabled people who receive other advantages.
Since he was diagnosed with lupus, pancreatitis and gallbladder stones, Michel Rodriguez has not been able to work and had to change her diet to include daily meals of fresh vegetables to help with her health conditions. If her interest is reduced, she said she will have to give priority to feeding her two children and rely on food stores, which will have long lines, or free gifts for products.
“It is only devastating because people, like me, the elderly and children, need to help,” said Rodriguez, who believes that the proposed cuts are unfair and contrary to what Trump said during his campaign. “The price of food has not decreased. It is really sad to see that he is only fighting for him and helps people like him, but people in the middle and lower layer, what about us? Don’t you want to protect us all?”