FRAC Chat

June marks the return of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) time limits (i.e. work requirements). For the first time in close to three decades, SNAP participants in the District of Columbia will be required to prove they are working or volunteering at least 80 hours per month to maintain their SNAP benefits. These changes threaten to deepen hunger and economic hardship for thousands of District residents, including working families, children, older adults, and people with disabilities at a time when many households are already struggling to afford basic needs amid rising prices and economic uncertainty.

June 4 marks the 80th anniversary of the passage of the National School Lunch Act, a landmark federal law that established the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Today, nearly 30 million children participate in the NSLP across 94,000 schools each school day. Research consistently shows that participation in school lunch is associated with positive health outcomes, improved academic achievement, and reduced financial pressure on families. With high food and living costs, and food insecurity affecting far too many children and families, school meals remain a vital public health investment that helps ensure children get the nutrition they need to grow and thrive.

The Constitution gives Congress the “power of the purse.” How Congress chooses to spend our resources demonstrates their priorities and highlights the direction they want to take our nation. “Appropriations” is the process for developing our nation’s budget each year. Through it, Congress assigns dollars to federal departments, agencies, and programs. See FRAC’s priorities for appropriations.

Annually, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issues a report on the characteristics of households and individuals participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The most recent report released in May provides details about fiscal year 2024 program participants — critical insights for lawmakers, advocates, and stakeholders., to push back against false, harmful narratives that have been perpetuated about individuals and households SNAP.

The U.S. Census Bureau recently released new data from the Household Trends and Outlook Pulse Survey (HTOPS), covering various topics including employment, food sufficiency, health insurance, and housing. It offers an important glimpse into the growing challenges many households face in accessing enough food. The June 2025 HTOPS data arrives at a particularly pivotal moment as policymakers debate major changes to federal nutrition programs and federal investments in anti-hunger efforts. The survey, formerly known as the Household Pulse Survey, began during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2024, transitioned into a longitudinal design where it surveyed the same people/households over time to observe changes and included new topics to allow for flexible exploration of new issues.