Alabama Arise, 49 partner groups urge state lawmakers to oppose federal SNAP cost shift

Congressional leaders are considering cuts to food assistance and other human services in a push to offset the cost of tax cuts for wealthy households. The amount of potential SNAP and health care cuts in the budget reconciliation bill that the U.S. House passed in May would be roughly equal to the cost of extending tax breaks for the wealthiest 2% of households, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Alabama Arise joined 49 partner groups in a letter asking Gov. Kay Ivey and state legislators to speak out against the devastating budgetary and humanitarian effects of proposed federal food assistance cuts. The full text of the letter is below.

Letter text

Dear Governor Ivey, members of the Legislature and Finance Director Bill Poole:

We, the undersigned Alabama organizations, are writing to raise our concerns about the devastating negative impacts that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provisions in the federal budget reconciliation bill would have on Alabama.

More than 750,000 Alabamians receive food assistance through SNAP, including 500,000 families with children, 300,000 families with older adults or disabled people, and 24,000 Alabama veterans. The SNAP cuts being considered would increase hunger for every one of these Alabamians and would transfer significant financial obligations from the federal government to Alabama.

The reconciliation bill would shift tens of millions of dollars of costs for SNAP administration and benefits from the federal government to Alabama each year. At our best estimate, Alabama would become responsible for up to $258 million in direct benefit costs, plus an additional $35 million in administrative costs annually.

Congress is considering expanding the scope of current time limits and adding more work verification red tape for an additional 165,000 Alabamians, including parents with children over age 7. Changes of this magnitude would create additional burdens for Alabama’s already stretched child care and child welfare systems and potentially would leave thousands of Alabama children and families without food on their tables.

Congress also is considering limiting future growth in the value of SNAP benefits. Over time, this would reduce SNAP benefits for nearly 800,000 SNAP participants in Alabama, including more than 300,000 children, even as food costs continue to grow.

Potential cuts to SNAP would damage Alabama’s economy. More than 5,000 stores in Alabama are authorized SNAP retailers, many in small towns and rural communities. The USDA estimates that every $1 in SNAP benefits can generate $1.50 in economic activity. Deep SNAP cuts could force layoffs or closures at grocery stores and other retailers across our state. A reduction or loss of SNAP benefits is a threat to our economy and the local communities where we all live and shop.

We urge you strongly to help protect federal funding for SNAP in Alabama and to communicate your concerns with the members of the Alabama congressional delegation. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. We appreciate your service to Alabama.