GOP-led House Passes Major Funding Cut to SNAP Program

News Summary

The U.S. House of Representatives has narrowly passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which proposes a $285 billion cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) over the next decade. The legislation imposes stricter work requirements on beneficiaries and introduces new state cost-sharing responsibilities. Approximately 52,000 older adults and 252,000 families in Michigan could be impacted. As the bill heads to the Senate, stakeholders express concern about its implications for food security among low-income families.

Lansing, Michigan – The GOP-led U.S. House of Representatives has passed a significant budget bill, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which is projected to drastically cut federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) over the next decade. The bill, comprising 1,116 pages, secured a narrow victory with a 215-214 vote along party lines and is now set to go to the Senate for further consideration.

The proposed legislation aims to reduce federal spending on SNAP by over $285 billion, a move that could adversely affect millions of low-income families across the nation. Currently, approximately 42 million individuals rely on SNAP benefits, with around 1.4 million receiving assistance in Michigan alone. The new bill introduces more stringent work requirements for beneficiaries, expanding the age range for these mandates to adults up to 64 years old, and applying to parents with children aged 7 to 18.

Under the existing rules, able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs) aged 18 to 54 are mandated to work at least 80 hours per month to receive benefits for more than three months within a three-year timeframe. The new proposal stipulates that counties would only be able to waive this work requirement if the local unemployment rate is 10% or higher.

The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the changes could lead to an average of 3.2 million people losing their SNAP benefits every month. In Michigan, forecasts indicate that around 52,000 older adults and 252,000 individuals living in households with young children may find their food assistance at risk due to these new work restrictions.

Furthermore, the legislation imposes a cost-sharing requirement on states, mandating that each state contributes a minimum of 5% of SNAP program costs, which totals around $4.7 billion across the United States. Should a state experience error rates ranging between 6% and 10%, it would be responsible for additional costs. In Michigan, the projected contribution could range from $152 million to $762 million. Notably, Michigan reported an 11% error payment rate in 2023, indicating that the state may end up covering about 25% of SNAP costs, raising concerns about financial strain on the state budget.

Concerns have been voiced that the imposition of these financial responsibilities could lead some states to consider opting out of the SNAP program entirely, further exacerbating food security issues for vulnerable populations. The changes proposed in this legislation are part of a broader Republican initiative focused on addressing what is perceived as waste and fraud within federal programs, including SNAP.

The Chair of the House Committee on Agriculture has argued that these reforms are crucial for reinforcing work requirements and restoring integrity to the SNAP program. As the bill heads to the Senate, it is expected to undergo significant revisions. Stakeholders are closely monitoring the developments, as the outcome may have lasting implications for food assistance programs and low-income families in Michigan and beyond.

Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic

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