Action Center

Anti-Hunger and Anti-Poverty Leaders Denounce Scrooge-like Efforts to Deny Replacement SNAP Benefits to Victims of Theft, Call on Congress to Continue Policy That Keeps Food on the Table

“The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) and the Coalition on Human Needs (CHN) are urging Congress to prioritize extending the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) replacement benefits in the Farm Bill extension within the end-of-year spending package.” Read more in FRAC’s statement. 

SNAP Advocacy Needed Now and in Lame-Duck Congress

Senate Farm Bill Text Released 
Earlier this week, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) released the text of her Farm Bill aimed at strengthening Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit adequacy and equitable access. Read the bill summary. On the Senate floor, Chairwoman Stabenow stated, “At a time when food insecurity rates in our country increased for the second year in a row, it is absolutely unacceptable for anyone to attempt to cut SNAP and other nutrition programs … .We should be investing in the Farm Bill nutrition programs that are at the heart of the family safety net in this country. My [bill] does that and lays the groundwork to see a future where we end hunger in America. It protects nutrition assistance and draws a clear line in the sand that we will not walk away from the progress we have made to keep families fed in this country.” Read FRAC’s statement, which highlights the positive nutrition provisions in the bill.

Action in the Lame-Duck Congress
It is becoming more likely that an end-of-year package will consist of a disaster supplemental spending bill, a one-year Farm Bill extension (as opposed to a five-year reauthorization), and an appropriations continuing resolution (CR) or possibly an omnibus bill (remainder of fiscal year 2025). SNAP provisions could occur in multiple places in the mega-bill. Advocates must press Members to protect and strengthen SNAP. Top priorities for any end-of-year package include:

1. protecting the Thrifty Food Plan benefit adjustments;
2. ensuring SNAP replacement benefits for victims of skimming; and
3. preserving food choice in SNAP purchases.

See and share FRAC’s Lame-Duck leave behind.

Elevator Pitch
Next week, Members of Congress will be at many local Thanksgiving events. Here’s your 30-second “elevator pitch” to them:

I work in our community (mention organization you work with) to ensure that individuals and families have access to the food and nutrition they need to stay healthy and to thrive. During the lame-duck session, I urge you to support SNAP by protecting the Thrifty Food Plan benefit adjustments from cuts or attempts to weaken; providing SNAP replacement benefits for victims of skimming; and preserving the ability and dignity for families to make their own food choices in their SNAP purchases. 

You can also email your Members of Congress via FRAC’s Action Network to oppose the House Farm Bill (cuts SNAP via the Thrifty Food Plan by $30 billion over 10 years), and send a separate message supporting replacement benefits for victims of SNAP skimming.

For more on outreach to your Members, contact Tim Klipp-Lockhart, tklipp-lockhart@frac.org, or Ellen Teller, eteller@frac.org.

New November 2024 Leave Behind – Congress Must Protect and Strengthen the Federal Food and Nutrition Programs in the End of the Year Spending Package

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the cornerstone of the nation’s nutrition and food security safety net, helping to put food on the table for over 41 million people each month.

Use FRAC’s latest leave behind, Congress Must Protect and Strengthen the Federal Food and Nutrition Programs in the End of the Year Spending Package, for your 2024 advocacy.

Read the Leave Behind

Action Needed: Support Permanent SNAP Replacement Benefits and Card Security Fix

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the nation’s first line of defense against hunger and helps over 40 million people put food on the table every day.  With so many transactions taking place daily with the outdated technology of a swipe card, households with the lowest incomes have become the biggest targets for criminals. To date, at least 195,000 households have had over $94.7 million in SNAP benefits stolen from them.

Over the past two years, criminals have installed devices on point-of-sale (POS) systems at SNAP participating locations. These devices, which blend in with the POS system, steal the EBT card data and PIN, allowing the criminal to clone the card and drain the benefits balance.

The federal government responded by offering replacement benefits to skimming victims on a limited basis pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023. The September 2024 Continuing Resolution extended these replacements through December 20, 2024.

SNAP Action Needed: Contact Members of Congress and tell them to:

• Support measures to permanently improve EBT security by co-sponsoring the Enhanced Cybersecurity for SNAP Act (H.R. 7585/S. 3893),
• Support the permanent extension of replacement benefits and full replacement of stolen benefits to SNAP participants by co-sponsoring the Fairness for Victims of Skimming Act (H.R. 6005/S. 3089).

For more information on engaging your Members of Congress, contact Tim Klipp-Lockhart, tklipp-lockhart@frac.org. For information on SNAP and card security, contact Salaam Bhatti, sbhatti@frac.org.

To learn more about the Farm Bill and other priority legislation for the anti-hunger community, visit FRAC’s Road to the Farm Bill webpage.

Email Your Members Now

Action Needed: During the Recess, Tell Your Member(s) to Oppose the House Farm Bill That Would Cut SNAP

House Agriculture Committee Chairman G.T. Thompson’s (R-PA) Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 (House Farm Bill) proposes cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by nearly $30 billion over 10 years. See FRAC’s statement opposing the bill.

Just before adjourning for the recess, a letter was penned by more than half of the House Republican Conference urging their leadership to advance this GOP Farm Bill to the House floor during the lame duck session.

It is critical that advocates from across the country speak with one voice urging House Members to support SNAP by opposing the House Ag Committee’s Farm Bill. We remain crystal clear: No bill is better than a bad bill.   

SNAP action needed: Contact your House Members and tell them to:

• oppose the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 and any efforts to weaken or cut SNAP; and to
• protect and strengthen SNAP in any Farm Bill.

For more information on engaging your Members of Congress, contact Tim Klipp-Lockhart, tklipp-lockhart@frac.org. For information on SNAP, contact FRAC’s SNAP Director Salaam Bhatti, sbhatti@frac.org .

Email Your Members Now

Raise Your Hand for Healthy School Meals for All

Healthy School Meals for All ensures all students have the nutrition they need to learn and thrive. Now is the time to join the movement. Urge your Members of Congress to support nationwide Healthy School Meals for All.

Learn More

FRAC’s Interim President Crystal FitzSimons Testifies at Senate Agriculture Subcommittee

On Wednesday, September 18, 2024, FRAC Interim President Crystal FitzSimons testified in front of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research on the importance of school meals. The hearing was entitled “Keeping Kids Learning in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program” and is available to watch on the committee webpage. Read the oral testimony and FRAC’s written testimony.

Read the Oral Testimony

National, State, and Community-Based Organizations: Sign Letter in Support of a Resilient, Equitable, and Sustainable 2024 Farm Bill

Please join FRAC and a diverse group of stakeholder organizations in signing a letter to congressional leaders urging them to negotiate a 2024 Farm Bill that must build a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable food and farm system. The letter reinforces that such a Farm Bill must — at its core — include policies that address hunger, public health, farmers, workers, and the environment.

The deadline to sign is Thursday, September 10. 

Please sign and share this letter widely with your network partners. Although the path to a Farm Bill continues to be rocky, advocates must ensure that when congressional leaders return from August recess, they know exactly what principles and policies must be at the heart of the Farm Bill to garner the support of our communities.

Please reach out to FRAC’s Tim Klipp-Lockhart, tklipp-lockhart@frac.org, with any questions.

August Recess Alert: Strengthen and Protect SNAP, Child Nutrition, WIC, and Anti-Poverty Programs – Engage With Your Members of Congress at Home

Members of Congress will be home for five weeks this August (Congressional schedule here).

Act Now to Advocate and Engage With Your Members

1. Schedule meetings now with your Senators and Representatives by contacting their district or state staff. You can connect with district and state staff by calling the Washington, D.C., offices for your Senators and House Member; they will connect you to the right staffer.
2. Create an impactful visit: Check out these resources to create a meaningful and engaging site visit with your members.
3. Turn a site visit into a community conversation. While touring your site, take advantage of your “home court advantage” and invite community leaders and program participants into a roundtable discussion of pressing issues and anti-hunger priorities with your elected officials. Check out the Food Research & Action Center’s (FRAC) “Guide to Site Visit Options.”
4. Use FRAC’s communications toolkit to share the just-released letter to Congress — with over 1,400 signatories — with your Members to protect and strengthen the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in the Farm Bill; use sample social media posts from the toolkit to lift the letter online, and tailor model press releases to represent the needs in your community.
5. Use FRAC’s social media toolkit to connect with Members regarding priority legislation.
6. Anti-hunger advocacy resources and priorities:

• • FRAC’s one-pager on Farm Bill priorities
  • Fiscal Year 2025 Budget and Appropriations Priorities for Food and Nutrition Programs
  • Over 1,400 National, State, and Community-based Organizations Send Letter Urging Congress to Protect and Strengthen SNAP in Farm Bill Negotiations. Use this social media toolkit to share with your Members of Congress.   
  • The Child Tax Credit Must Be Expanded to Eradicate Hunger and Poverty
  • Urge Your Senators to Co-Sponsor the School Hunger Elimination Act and the Nutrition Red Tape Reduction Act

If you would like FRAC to assist you with your meetings during the August recess or if you have questions about engaging with your Members of Congress, please contact Timothy Klipp-Lockhart, tklipp-lockhart@frac.org. For policy questions on SNAP, contact Salaam Bhatti, sbhatti@frac.org; and child nutrition (school and out-of- school programs), Alexis Bylander, abylander@frac.org; and WIC, Alex Ashbrook, aashbrook@frac.org.

Over 1,400 National, State, and Community-based Organizations Sign a Letter Urging Congress to Protect and Strengthen SNAP in Farm Bill Negotiations

The House Farm Bill and Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Boozman’s framework both pose serious threats to future SNAP benefits. FRAC and more than 1,400 national, state, and local organizations representing communities from across the country, signed onto a letter urging Congress to prioritize protecting and strengthening the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in the upcoming Farm Bill and any other legislative vehicles moving forward, writing:

“We will oppose any Farm Bill — including the House Agriculture Committee’s Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 — which proposes cuts to SNAP including restricting future Thrifty Food Plan benefit adjustments, nearly $30 billion in cuts over 10 years according to the Congressional Budget Office, in addition to provisions outsourcing administrative functions currently required to be performed by public sector merit employees.”

• Read the joint letter.
• Use FRAC’s communications toolkit to spread the word.

Action Needed: Oppose House Agriculture Committee Farm Bill
That Would Cut SNAP’s Future Thrifty Food Plan Benefits

The House Agriculture Committee voted out of Committee the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 (House Farm Bill), by a vote of 33-21, on early Friday morning, 5/24. All Republicans and four Democrats – Sorensen (D-IL), Caraveo (D-CO), Davis (D-NC), and Bishop (D-GA) – voted to advance the bill. The bill poses a serious threat to the health and wellbeing of the more than 41.4 million people who rely on SNAP to put food on the table. See Ranking Member David Scott’s (D-GA) opening statement and FRAC’s statement in opposition.

Take Action Now in Advance of Thursday’s Markup!

• Reach out immediately to your Members on the House Agriculture Committee  — and urge them to speak out and oppose the cuts to SNAP in Chairman Thompson’s Farm Bill. See the House Directory for phone numbers.
• Email your Members an updated letter through FRAC’s Action Network. Send them this resource on why the Thrifty Food Plan must be protected.
• Use social media to tag your Members and urge them to vote no!

House Agriculture Committee Farm Bill Resources  

• House Ag Committee — Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024: Discussion Draft
• Updated Title-by-Title Summary
• House Ag Committee Ranking Member David Scott’s (D-GA) reaction to Farm Bill release
• FRAC’s statement opposing Chairman Thompson’s Farm Bill
• House Ag Committee Dems — What They Are Saying: Groups Oppose Partisan Farm Bill

For questions or more information, contact Tim Klipp-Lockhart, tklipp-lockhart@frac.org; or Ellen Teller, eteller@frac.org.

Child Tax Credit Advocacy Needed: Join April 2 Day of Action to Push for Senate Vote

Join the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), the Coalition on Human Needs, Economic Security Project, MomsRising, and our varied partners for an April 2 day of action focused on getting the Child Tax Credit (CTC) improvements in the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act over the finish line in the Senate.

Take Action

Build momentum in the lead-up to April 2, the day of, and beyond:

• Use and share with your networks the FRAC Action Network to call on the Senate to pass the bill.
• Meet with Senate offices to push on the urgency and importance of CTC improvements to improve food security and lift families with children out of poverty.
• Get vocal on social media.

State of Play

Urge your Senators to swifty take up and pass the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act when they return to Washington, D.C., and to reject any amendments that could weaken or limit the impact of the CTC for families. The House overwhelmingly passed the bill (357–70) in January.

An expanded and inclusive CTC is a transformational policy for addressing hunger among families with children. Under the House-passed bill, approximately 16 million out of the 19 million children currently left out of the full or any CTC will benefit, and an estimated 400,000 children will be lifted above the poverty line.

Resources

Resources to draw on and share:

• National anti-hunger organization letter in support of CTC improvements;
• FRAC Action Network’s pre-populated message to send directly to your Senators;
• Economic Security Project and Coalition on Human Needs toolkits;
• Center on Budget and Policy Priorities’ resources on young children and the impact on low-income households in your state; and a
• FRAC research brief on expanded CTC and hunger.

For more information on the CTC, contact Susan Beaudoin, sbeaudoin@frac.org; for help with communications with your Senate offices, contact Tim Klipp-Lockhart, tklipp-lockhart@frac.org, or Ellen Teller, eteller@frac.org.

Food Research & Action Center Applauds Congress for Releasing FY 2024 Spending Bill to Fully Fund WIC, Rejecting Harmful SNAP Policy Rider

“At a crucial juncture, Congress on March 3, 2024 released a final fiscal year (FY) 2024 Agriculture Appropriations package, securing $7.030 billion in critical funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), a lifeline for nearly 7 million pregnant and postpartum women and young children, including approximately half of all infants born in the U.S. By rejecting a substantial number of harmful policy riders, which included efforts to restrict SNAP benefits — a proposal which received widespread, bipartisan criticism, Congress has also shown a commitment to the health, well-being, and dignity of millions of families.” Read more in FRAC’s statement,

House Passes Tax Proposal Including Child Tax Credit Enhancements in Bipartisan Vote

“FRAC applauds the House for swiftly and overwhelmingly passing the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act, a vital step in expanding the Child Tax Credit and addressing our nation’s child hunger crisis. The bill’s enhancements to the tax credit will benefit 16 million children currently left out of receiving the full or any credit, and will lift 400,000 above the poverty line. Investing in families is crucial to ending hunger and fostering a more prosperous society. We now urge the Senate to expedite this legislation without amendments – hungry families can’t wait.”

– FRAC President Luis Guardia

Action Needed: Urge Your Members of Congress to Cosponsor SNAP Priority Legislation in Upcoming Farm Bill

Join advocates from across the country in urging Members of Congress to support the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by cosponsoring anti-hunger priority legislation to be considered in the upcoming Farm Bill.

Action needed: Urge Congress to protect and strengthen SNAP in the upcoming Farm Bill by supporting and cosponsoring the following legislation:

• The Improving Access to Nutrition Act (H.R. 1510/S. 2435) would end harsh and arbitrary time limits on SNAP benefits for certain individuals and allow them to access the food, nutrition, and overall health benefits provided by the program. Bill highlights, House and Senate sponsors.
• The Closing the Meal Gap Act (H.R. 3037/S. 1336) would base SNAP benefit allotments on the more adequate Low-Cost Food Plan, boost SNAP benefits for families with children forced to choose between food and shelter, increase benefits for older adults forced to choose between food and medicine, raise the SNAP minimum monthly benefit, and improve equitable access by extending SNAP to Puerto Rico (replacing the current block-granted Nutrition Assistance Program). Bill highlights, House and Senate cosponsors.
• The Enhance Access to SNAP Act (EATS) (H.R. 3183/S. 1488) would eliminate the barriers that college students face when accessing SNAP. Bill highlights, House and Senate cosponsors.
• The Hot Foods Act (H.R. 3519/S. 2258) would end the prohibition on use of SNAP benefits to purchase hot prepared foods from food retailers. Bill highlights, House and Senate cosponsors.
• The Lift the Bar Act (H.R. 4170/S. 2038) would eliminate the five-year bar (waiting period) for legal permanent immigrants to access SNAP and other federal programs. Bill highlights, House and Senate cosponsors.
• The Restore Act (H.R. 3479/S. 1753) would repeal the lifetime federal ban on individuals with felony drug convictions from receiving SNAP. Bill highlights, House and Senate cosponsors.

For more information on engaging your Members of Congress, contact Vijay Das, vdas@frac.org, or Tim Klipp-Lockhart, tklipp-lockhart@frac.org. For information on SNAP, contact Salaam Bhatti, sbhatti@frac.org.

Use the FRAC Action Network

FRAC’s Road to the Farm Bill Resource Center

Visit FRAC’s Road to the Farm Bill page to discover priority SNAP legislation, Farm Bill talking points, critical actions, and much more.

Learn more

Congressional Calendar

Explore the 2023 House and Senate calendars.

Budget Reconciliation 101

Curious about Budget Reconciliation? Unsure about the process or special rules to look out for? Explore this three-page report that explains what you need to know.

Read FRAC's Budget Reconciliation 101

Sign Up for the FRAC Action Network!

Urge your Representatives to support and strengthen the Federal Nutrition Programs. Learn about the latest opportunities for action by signing up for the FRAC Action Network. Hungry people can’t wait.

Sign Up Now