Akron Reporter

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On June 15, U.S. Representative Emilia Strong Sykes (OH-13), along with Reps. Yadira Caraveo, M.D. (CO-08) and Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Ranking Member on the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition, introduced the Food Access and Stability Act, a new bill that would make permanent the Special Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit expansion that recently passed in the Bipartisan Budget Agreement.

“I am proud to co-lead the Food Access and Stability Act which will help ensure veterans, the housing insecure, and young people aging out of foster care have access to food. No one in Ohio’s 13th Congressional District should ever have to worry about going hungry,” said Rep. Sykes. “The Food Access and Stability Act is a step towards combatting food insecurity in our communities by protecting our most vulnerable children and families.”

The recently passed Bipartisan Budget Agreement included additional work requirements that would limit nutrition benefits for some Americans, but it also included an exemption from those requirements for veterans, unhoused people, and former foster youth. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates this will actually expand benefits to 78,000 additional people and help feed some of the most vulnerable Americans. Under the Bipartisan Budget Agreement, this important provision would end in 2030. The Food Access and Stability Act makes that expansion permanent.

“As a doctor, I’ve seen the very real impact of these modest nutrition benefits to keep families in our communities fed. I don’t support onerous work requirements that would tear away benefits from people in need, but the Bipartisan Budget Agreement made an important step in the right direction to feed some of the most vulnerable among us,” said Rep. Caraveo. “I’m proud to put forth the Food Access and Stability Act to ensure our veterans and others in need don’t have to worry about where their next meal is going to come from.”

“One person struggling with food insecurity is one too many. We live in one of the wealthiest countries in the world - there is absolutely no excuse for lack of accessibility to nutritious food. While SNAP benefits for veterans, unhoused people, and foster youth are protected until 2030 there is no guarantee they will not face obstacles after the time limit,” said Rep. Hayes. “The Food Access and Stability Act, which I am thrilled to co-lead with Representatives Yadira Caraveo (CO-08) and Emilia Sykes (OH-13), would permanently extend access to SNAP for these vulnerable communities. I thank my colleagues for their leadership and look forward to working with them in this vitally important work.”

SNAP is the nation’s most important and effective anti-hunger program. More than 65% of SNAP participants across the country are in families with children and last year 41,206,900 Americans (or 1 in 8 people) used SNAP benefits to keep from going hungry. More than 1.4 million Ohio residents, or about 13%, rely on SNAP benefits.

Strong research evidenceon SNAP’s existing work-reporting requirement shows that it does not increase employment or earnings but does cause many people to lose food assistance. Those who would be newly at risk of losing food assistance have very low incomes, typically well below the poverty line, and would be pushed even deeper into poverty if they lose SNAP.

See a full fact sheet with data on SNAP recipients in Ohio here.

Read the full bill text here.

Original source can be found here.