According to a new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, millions of low-income children and adults could be left without food aid if Congress does not increase funding for nutrition programs. The report estimates that “nearly 12 million children in 6 million households participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) and 2 million pregnant women and new mothers enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) could experience a reduction in benefits.”
This could have a dire effect on the health of low-income Americans, who often rely on food aid to get enough to eat. Without additional funds, SNAP benefits are set to decrease in April 2021 due to the expiration of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Additionally, the report warns that “more than half of WIC states expect to have to terminate pregnant women, infants, and other participants from the program” due to a lack of funds.
In light of this, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities urges Congress to increase funding for SNAP and WIC in the FY2022 appropriations bills, and continue to provide emergency SNAP assistance in the next Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act package. Despite the need for additional funding, Congress is currently considering reductions in SNAP and other nutrition assistance programs. Without additional resources, the report estimates that “millions of people who are struggling to put food on the table would be denied the aid that keeps them from being hungry.”
