According to a new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, millions of parents and children could be denied food aid in 2021 without a significant funding boost from the U.S. government. The report estimates that nearly 4 million households—including an estimated 7 million children—who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) could lose access to food assistance due to a slew of budget cuts proposed by the Trump administration.
The report states that if these cuts are integrated into the 2021 federal budget, they will reduce funding for SNAP by $9 billion over the next decade. This would result in reducing the number of households receiving benefits by an estimated 3.7 million and the number of children receiving benefits by an estimated 6.9 million.
The report argues that cutting SNAP funding would worsen poverty and hardship among low-income families, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic when millions of Americans are already struggling to put food on the table. The report also outlines how SNAP funding boosts the economy by creating jobs and helping to reduce healthcare costs by promoting better nutrition and overall health.
For these reasons, the report calls on Congress to reject the proposed cuts and instead increase funding for SNAP so more families can access food assistance next year.
