RYAN’S SNAP PROPOSAL WOULD HURT MILLIONS

Millions of people would lose part or all of their SNAP benefits under the new budget proposed by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, which the House was expected to pass on Thursday. The Ryan budget cuts SNAP by $137 billion between 2015 and 2024.  It includes every major benefit cut in the House version of last year’s Farm Bill, which Congress ultimately rejected.  On top of these cuts, which would end food assistance for 3.8 million people by 2018, it converts SNAP into a block grant beginning in 2019 and cuts it by another $125 billion — almost 30% — over the next 5 years. Since 90% of SNAP spending goes to food assistance, a cut of that size would require restricting SNAP eligibility for needy people, slashing benefits, or both.

 

Source: Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 4/7/14, Ryan Budget