The Conaway/Ryan Farm Bill Will Severely Cut SNAP/CalFresh
The Conaway/Ryan Farm Bill (HR 2) was voted out of the House Agriculture Committee on April 18th on a strict party line vote. Now the harmful proposal will head to the House floor for a full vote, possibly as early as the week of May 14th. Read more here...
Now is the time to make your voice heard
On
Tuesday, May 8th the Coalition on Human Needs and anti-hunger partners across the country are asking that as many people as possible call their member of Congress and tell them to
"Vote NO on H.R. 2!"
It's easy and only take a few minutes to lend your voice to this important cause.
Call 1-888-398-8702: You will be connected to your Representative's office by putting in your zip code. (The number is live now and people can start calling now but please make sure you call on
Tuesday, May 8th!)
Here is a simple script you can use. Please feel free to share any personal stories you have about how SNAP/CalFresh helped you or someone you know. Tell the staff member you are connected with:
"Representative [Your Rep's Name] should Vote No on HR 2 (the Farm Bill) that cuts SNAP/CalFresh for working families, seniors, and people with disabilities. Cuts and harmful changes to SNAP/CalFresh that take away struggling people's food have no place in the Farm Bill. [I/We] urge Congress to focus on policies that help create jobs and boost wages, rather than punishing people who are already facing economic hardship. HR 2 is a partisan attack on the best anti-poverty program we have: SNAP/CalFresh, which helps 1 in 8 Californians afford groceries."
It is especially important to contact the following House Republicans if you live in their district. They are undecided and/or low-income residents in their district would be severely impacted by the proposed cuts.
The House Farm Bill (HR 2) threatens access to food for many California working families, children, and seniors by ending "Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility." Learn more about Categorical Eligibility and how Californians would be impacted if HR 2 were enacted and the state no longer had that flexibility. PDF
CalFresh "Heat and Eat" Fact Sheet
The House Farm Bill (HR 2) would would cut SNAP/CalFresh for many low-income households with out-of-pocket utility expenses like heating and electricity. Learn more about "Heat and Eat" and how Californians would be impacted if it were ended. PDF