Stop the Trump administration from cutting the SNAP food stamp benefits of 3 million children

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Tell Donald Trump’s USDA:
“We cannot take critical food assistance away from low-income children and families. We oppose your proposed rule that would cut the SNAP food benefits of 7 million people, including 3 million children.”
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Friend,

Ever since Donald Trump stepped into the White House, he has been working with his cabinet to systematically undermine protections for working people that have taken generations to build.

They are at it again.

This time, the Trump administration has proposed a USDA rule change that would cut the essential SNAP food benefits of 7.2 million low-income Americans.

But we are not going to let them do it! EPI is rallying with a broad coalition of partners to oppose this dangerous rule change. Click here to submit an official comment to Donald Trump’s USDA rejecting a rule that cuts the SNAP food benefits of millions of Americans. ([link removed])

Most SNAP and Medicaid beneficiaries are children, people older than 65, or people with disabilities. SNAP provides a basic floor of protection that helps ensure all families have access to decent food and resources to spend on health care. We must not allow the Trump administration to undermine these essential protections for millions of families throughout our country.

Proposals to cut SNAP put children at risk and could cause millions to fall into poverty.

The average loss in benefits for households with benefit cuts would be $31 a month. Benefit cuts would largely be borne by low-income families in northern states, whose winter utility bills are higher than southern states.

The deadline to submit comments is December 2 and already our allies have submitted over 13,000 comments opposing this rule.

Let’s join together and demand the Trump administration withdraw its dangerous plan. Tell the USDA to reject this outrageous rule change. ([link removed])

While Trump and his GOP allies in Congress have showered the wealthiest people in our country with trillions of dollars of tax breaks, far too many Americans continue to struggle with poverty, food insecurity, a poor diet and obesity.

The research is clear: SNAP alleviates these problems and improves the health and well-being of millions of people across our country. What we should be doing is prioritizing programs like SNAP. But, instead, the Trump administration is focused on doing exactly the opposite: cutting SNAP’s essential food benefit programs.

Through a rule change, the USDA is seeking to slice $4.5 billion in funds from SNAP over 5 years.

If adopted, the new USDA rule would unfairly standardize and cap what is known as “Standard Utility Allowance” calculations (SUAs) across the country based on inadequate survey data―resulting in dramatic cuts to food stamps. Standard Utility Allowances measure the average cost of utilities in a state or local jurisdiction. These allowances, calculated by the state and approved by USDA, help state governments measure a household’s total shelter costs when setting benefits.

The proposed rule change would set one way of calculating the state utility rate for the entire country. It would reduce benefits for low-income families with higher utility bills, cutting benefits for roughly 1 out of every 5 households that participate in SNAP.

Let’s unite our voices and send the USDA a strong message: We will not allow SNAP benefits to be cut. Tell USDA Sec. Perdue: This rule change will exacerbate the struggles of millions of low-income Americans. The proposed rule is flawed and must be withdrawn. ([link removed])

We cannot allow the Trump administration to take critical food assistance away from low-income children and families.

In solidarity,

Thea Lee
President, Economic Policy Institute
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