Winning on Medicaid? Now Let’s SNAP to it!

Fight cuts to food aid

By Steve Schear

Under pressure to avoid unpopular cuts to Medicaid, Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the House, recently ruled out defunding Medicaid for able-bodied adults. Johnson also said that Republicans would not cut Medicaid by reducing payments to flat fees, although he has waffled on that claim. Now MAGA leaders are exploring making $668 billion in Medicaid cuts by prohibiting state taxes that have been used to increase Medicaid funding. The good news is that our work is having an impact.

According to the New York Times, many House Republicans now believe that voting for Medicaid cuts is “politically toxic.” So MAGA leaders are in retreat on this issue, but pressure on purple district Republicans is still needed to prevent massive cuts in Medicaid funding. And there’s another program on the MAGA cutting board.

Stopping Cuts to Food Aid

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, provides more than 42 million people with cards that can be used to buy food. It costs the federal government about $112 billion a year. Recipients receive an average of about $187 per month in food benefits.

"Children, older adults, people with disabilities, veterans and families in rural areas all depend on SNAP to better afford a healthy and culturally relevant diet,” said Salaam Bhatti, SNAP Director for the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC). “We want a country where every child thrives, families have the resources they need, and our economy works for all. That requires protecting and strengthening SNAP."

MAGA’s budget calls for the House Agriculture Committee to make $230 billion in cuts, primarily cuts to SNAP. That would inflict real pain on households that rely on the program, forcing people to choose between food, rent and healthcare.

We can stop cuts to SNAP the same way we can stop massive cuts to Medicaid – by pressuring Republican representatives in purple districts to vote against defunding SNAP. Immediate pressure on Don Bacon (NE-CD2), Zack Nunn (IA-CD3), Derrick Van-Orden (WI-CD3) and Rob Bresnahan (PA-CD8) would be especially useful, because they are on the House Agricultural Committee. Pressure on other GOP House members in purple districts should also be effective. This chart shows the number and percent of households using SNAP in the 18 purple districts held by Republicans.

Pressure on Republicans representing rural areas, who often have lots of constituents on SNAP, is especially important. Farmers benefit from the program, too, because it allows them to sell more of their products locally. Any Republican who represents a district with a high percentage of SNAP recipients might be vulnerable to a campaign against SNAP cuts.

Very visible public campaigns to stop SNAP cuts are a win-win-win for us. They will show Democrats fighting to preserve help for the people who need it most. With enough organizing, we may be able to stop the cuts, preserving a key social program. And Republicans who vote to cut SNAP will have a harder time winning reelection next year.

Stopping cuts to SNAP will likely be more difficult than stopping cuts to Medicaid. Many organizations are pitching in to fight Medicaid cuts. Indivisible activists are calling Republicans about cuts to healthcare and food, but they are one of the few grassroots organizations now fighting SNAP cuts.

We don’t have much time to organize against cuts to SNAP. The Agricultural Committee is scheduled to start its mark-up on May 13, and the House vote on the budget reconciliation bill containing SNAP cuts could come as early as June. But polls show food aid is very popular, so there is a potential for stopping or limiting the cuts if we campaign on this issue now.

You can get lots of information about SNAP from FRAC including a Digital toolkit to oppose cuts, quotes on why SNAP matters from participants, and a blog series on the impact of proposed cuts.

On May 14, FRAC is holding a webinar on the impact of SNAP cuts on recipients. Register here.

There’s no downside to fighting to keep people fed. Let’s fight to stop MAGA from cutting food aid to pay for tax cuts for billionaires.