Congress is moving quickly to gut SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that helps 42 million Americans put food on the table.
Both the House and the Senate have advanced budget reconciliation proposals that would slash SNAP by hundreds of billions of dollars, stripping food assistance from millions and forcing states to shoulder massive new costs.
These proposals will impose harsh new work requirements on parents, older adults, and caregivers — ignoring the realities of childcare costs, disability, and economic hardship. They would block future updates to SNAP benefit levels, even as food prices keep rising. And they would gut the funding that helps states administer the program, leading to more delays, red tape, and errors.
Let’s be clear. These bills don’t strengthen the safety net — they dismantle it.
We’ve beaten back attacks on SNAP before. We can do it again, but only if we act now.
What’s at stake:
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SNAP supports 1 in 8 Americans, including children, seniors, veterans, caregivers, and working adults. These cuts would punish the people who need food support the most.
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Proposals in both the House and Senate would push administrative and benefit costs onto states. In Washington alone, the state could be on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars in increased costs each year.
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These proposals would strip SNAP eligibility from thousands of immigrants who are legally present in the United States, including refugees and asylum seekers fleeing war and persecution.
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For every $1 in SNAP benefits, up to $1.70 is generated in local economic activity, supporting jobs in food retail and agriculture. Cutting benefits will hurt businesses and harm Washington State’s economy.
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The Senate’s proposal eliminates exemptions that allow some of our most vulnerable community members to access food benefits even when they’re not able to work. Under this proposal, veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and former foster youth would need to work at least 20 hours a week, every week, in order to maintain access to SNAP.
Sample Phone Message
Calling your members of Congress is one of the most effective ways to make a difference. Phone calls have more weight than an email or social media post. Staff members are trained to listen politely to your concerns and will pass your message on to lawmakers. You don’t need to worry about being quizzed or interrogated.
Hello, this is [Name], a constituent from [City/Town in Washington]. I’m calling to urge [Senator/Representative Name] to vote NO on the SNAP cuts in the budget reconciliation bill.
[If applicable, share a quick story of personal impact.]
Over 1.2 million people in our state rely on SNAP. These cuts would take food away from families, school-aged children, veterans, and refugees — and could cost Washington state over $300 million a year. This harmful proposal threatens not only the food security of our state’s most vulnerable, but also the food systems and economies that sustain all Washingtonians.
Please reject these cuts and protect SNAP. Thank you.