Congresswoman April McClain Delaney Joins House Agriculture Committee Colleagues in Letter to Speaker Johnson Defending SNAP from $230 Billion in Cuts and Calling for Bipartisan Farm Bill Negotiations
Congresswoman April McClain Delaney Joins House Agriculture Committee Colleagues in Letter to Speaker Johnson Defending SNAP from $230 Billion in Cuts and Calling for Bipartisan Farm Bill Negotiations
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman April McClain Delaney joined her fellow House Agriculture Committee Members expressing serious concerns about the future of a bipartisan Farm Bill and threats to the Supplemental Nutrition Program (SNAP). In Maryland’s 6th District, one in ten households use SNAP to pay for groceries.
The proposed Republican budget framework adopted by the House of Representatives on February 25, 2025, directs the Committee on Agriculture to eliminate $230 billion, which is impossible to do without cutting SNAP funding and putting over 42 million Americans at risk of food insecurity. In the letter, the Committee Members reiterate the need for bipartisan Farm Bill negotiations and to work together to avoid efforts that jeopardize this vital food safety net program.
“I’ve traveled across the district listening to so many Marylanders who are struggling to put food on the table or access affordable healthcare for their families. This legislation, led by the House Majority, to cut SNAP benefits when one in six children in our state goes to bed hungry is disgraceful,” said Rep. McClain Delaney. “Congress must do better to support our working class, lift up our farmers reliant on these programs and give families a real chance to get by and get ahead.”
“At a time when people across the country are struggling with the high cost of groceries, this program helps more than 42 million Americans each month keep food on the table by providing a modest but meaningful $6 per person per day,” wrote the members. “Cuts of this enormity would increase food costs for the typical family of four participating in the program by $175 per month, or $2,100 per year. The fallout would be felt by nearly 17 million children, over 7 million seniors, and 1.2 million veterans that depend on SNAP.”
“Cutting SNAP by $230 billion means taking away $23 billion in income from farmers and ranchers, and adding more uncertainty to an already reeling food supply chain. This will have significant negative impacts on the farmers who grow the food, manufacturers that package it, truckers who distribute it, and stores and small businesses in our communities that sell it. SNAP dollars stimulate the economy; every $1.00 in SNAP benefits generates an additional $1.50 in economic activity. In 2020 alone, SNAP created nearly 45,000 new jobs in supporting industries, including agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, and municipal services. It also supported 200,000 grocery industry jobs with wages totaling more than $6.7 billion. SNAP is particularly impactful in rural communities and small towns, where people participate at higher rates than urban areas, and where SNAP dollars provide even higher returns to the local economy.”
Congresswoman McClain Delaney remains steadfast in protecting this vital nutrition program which feeds millions of children, seniors and families and stimulates growth in the local agriculture economy and is committed to working to find an acceptable bipartisan agreement.
Full text of the letter is available here.