1. The Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP):
Federal Threats
Ana Hicks
State Strategies Manager
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
March 1, 2016

2. SNAP Puts Food on the Table; Reduces Food Insecurity
SNAP is one of the most powerful and effective poverty-reduction programs in the country. Nationwide SNAP helps millions afford groceries. SNAP helped 759,000 Missouri residents (1 in 8) residents put food on the table.

3. SNAP Lifts Millions Out of Poverty
SNAP keeps more than 8 million people out of poverty, including nearly four million children. SNAP kept 221,000 people out of poverty in Missouri, including 109,000 children When you’re able to cover a basic need like putting food on the table, you can get back on your feet more quickly.

4. SNAP boosts local economies
SNAP is an important public/private partnership
More than more than 260,000 retailers participating in SNAP nationwide.
In 2016, SNAP households redeemed about $1.2 billion at 4,995 retailers.

5. SNAP is Our Largest Child Nutrition Program
One in four children, and almost one-third of pre-school children, meet their basic food needs with help from SNAP. Two-thirds of SNAP benefits go to households with children. Seventy-two percent of SNAP participants in Missouri are in families with children. There is growing awareness that the consequences of adversity during the early years of life can extend well beyond childhood.
In a typical month, SNAP helps families with nearly 20 million children afford an adequate diet.  That’s 1 in 4 children in the United States. Their households got $44 billion in 2016.
The share in NY is similar to the nation. 28% of all NY children participate in SNAP and 32% of preschool children.
poverty, abuse or neglect, parental substance abuse or mental illness, and exposure to violence

6. Timeline of Events in Congress
February: President’s Budget Released
Mid to late March: Release and mark up of the House Farm Bill (date could slip)
April: Vote on the floor on House Ag Farm Bill
April/May/June: Release, mark up and vote on the floor of the Senate Farm Bill
Summer into Fall: Work out differences between the two bills
Other threats could emerge including “workforce development” programs in the House.

7. President Trump’s 2019 Budget Proposal
The President’s budget proposal to slash SNAP by nearly 30 percent will hurt our communities and harm every type of SNAP participant, including, the elderly, individuals with disabilities, low-income working families with children, and those struggling to find work.
The budget calls for radically restructuring the delivery of benefits and cuts benefits for nearly every household on SNAP. Based on the faulty assumption that the government can buy and provide food more efficiently than millions of American households, the President’s proposal would upend SNAP’s successful and efficient public-private partnership with retailers across the country.

8. Preview of 2018 Farm Bill: Some Proposals in the President’s Budget Likely to be in House Ag Farm Bill
Worsening the 3 month time limit
Eliminating 3 month time limit waivers
Raising the age from 49 to 62 years of age
Eliminating Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility
Other proposals??

9. The vast majority of SNAP recipients who can work do work
More than half of households with a working-age non-disabled adult work while receiving SNAP.
And more than 80 percent work in the year before or after receiving SNAP.
Rates are even higher for families with children.
SNAP also is a critical support for workers who are in between jobs and looking for work.
Like with other two programs we have very strong evidence that most adult SNAP recipients who can work do work.
Nearly two-thirds of SNAP participants are seniors, kids and people receiving disability benefits, but among the rest more than half work while participating in SNAP and more than 80 percent work in the year after or before.
Important to not buy into the “lifestyle” framing!
Most people who aren’t working at any point in time find work on their own. They don’t go long periods without working. To the extent they do, like we see in Medicaid and housing they face significant issues or barriers.

10. SNAP helps working people who:
are paid low wages;
have unpredictable hours and schedules; and
are in between jobs.
In Missouri, SNAP helps 1 in 11 low wage workers.
Many people you interact with every day need SNAP. Including many people in the service industry.  Good percentage of cashiers, maids and housecleaners and nursing, and home health aides and child care providers receive SNAP. So SNAP is responding to the issues in the labor market and helping people who work in these important jobs feed themselves and their families.

11. Why not make SNAP work requirements worse?
Punishing workers for being unemployed by taking away SNAP won’t help them find a better job or find work faster.
We need to invest in quality education and job training to help put people on a path to get better jobs.
A strong labor market that pays a living wage for full-time work is the right way to reduce the SNAP rolls.
Why not make SNAP work requirements worse?
So, in addition to reinforcing these messages and addressing the mis-information, here are some messages we have found effective for SNAP:
That means:
Funding
Data on what works
Informed by the private sector – what do they need?
Engage individuals with barriers:
Ex-offenders
Disability in the household
Rural
Addiction
Don’t believe FGA?

12. Putting it all together:
Cutting people's basic living standards by taking away their ability to food on the table only makes it harder for them to make ends meet. Rather than punishing people who are already facing economic hardship Congress should instead focus on policies that help create jobs and boost wages.
Putting it all together:

13. Questions?