Action Alert! Tell Congress: Don’t Cut Off Our Food Assistance!

May 3, 2018

Join the National Day of Action – Tuesday May 8, 2018

 

The U.S. House of Representatives plans to vote soon on a bill – the “Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018” (H.R. 2), also known as the “Farm Bill” – to cut off or reduce basic food assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for roughly 2 million people across the nation.

Roughly 1 in 4 non-elderly SNAP beneficiaries, or 11 million people, have a disability. SNAP helps people pay for groceries and put food on the table. It’s vital that SNAP be there for people with disabilities and their families when they need it.

Instead, the House may vote as soon as the week of May 7, 2018 on a bill that would subject millions of people who rely on SNAP to sweeping, harsh new work and reporting requirements. These changes would punish people who lose their jobs and can’t find a new one, can’t meet the potential new strict work or training requirements, or can’t get an exemption. Roughly 2 million people would see their benefits cut, or cut off, over 10 years – including many people with disabilities or chronic illnesses, and their families.

 

Action Needed

The changes to SNAP are part of the “Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018” (H.R. 2), also known as the “Farm Bill.” The Farm Bill may come up for a vote by the full House as soon as the week of May 7, 2018.

Take part in the May 8, 2018 #HandsOffSNAP National Day of Action.

Call-Ins

Call your Representative and urge them to vote “NO” on H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, also called the Farm Bill.

Feeding America is offering a toll-free dial in, 1-888-398-8702, that also offers a sample script. A “Find Your Representative” lookup tool is available at: https://ziplook.house.gov/htbin/findrep_house.

Sample call script for disability advocates:

• I’m [name], I live in [place], and Representative [name] is my Representative.
• I’m calling to urge Representative [name] to vote no on H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, also called the Farm Bill.
• I oppose the bill because it would cut off or reduce basic food assistance under the SNAP program for millions of people, including many people with disabilities and their families.
• I ask Representative [name] to vote no on H.R. 2 and to instead work on a bipartisan Farm Bill that strengthens and protects SNAP.

 

Social Media

The Digital Day of Action will last the full day, but organizers are encouraging everyone to tweet and post during the 1:00pm ET hour to maximize reach. Use the hashtag #HandsOffSNAP to Tweet and post to Facebook throughout the day on May 8. Follow @ccd4pwd for easy retweets.

Sample Tweets:

You can look up your Representative at http://www.tweetcongress.org/tweeters.

• RT if you agree: [@Your Rep.’s Twitter handle], Cuts to SNAP in the #FarmBill would hurt people with #disabilities. Please vote NO on HR 2! #HandsOffSNAP
• Today, [you/your organization] says #HandsOffSNAP [@Your Rep.’s Twitter handle], please vote NO on HR 2 #FarmBill
• The #FarmBill will cut off or reduce food assistance for people with #disabilities — [@Your Rep.’s Twitter handle] should vote NO on HR 2!

 

Sample Facebook Post

The House of Representatives plans to vote soon on a bill to cut off or reduce basic food assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for roughly 2 million people across the nation. The bill subjects millions of people who rely on SNAP to new red tape, effectively punishing people who lose their jobs and can’t find a new one or can’t meet strict new requirements. People with disabilities are disproportionately impacted by these kinds of bureaucratic requirements and the disability community strongly opposes these changes! Join our Day of Action today, May 8, by contacting your member of Congress!

 

Additional Resources

• Letter opposing SNAP cuts in the Farm Bill – Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities
• House Farm Bill’s SNAP Cuts, Work Requirements Would Hurt People with Disabilities – Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
• House Agriculture Committee’s Farm Bill Would Increase Food Insecurity and Hardship – Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
• The Farm Bill – Talk Poverty
• Analysis of H.R. 2 The Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 – Food Research & Action Center
• Farm Bill 2018 – Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)
• Farm Bill Resources – Feeding America

 

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This action alert was developed by the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) Poverty Ad Hoc Task Force.