Newsbreak: Millions of Low-Income Americans Risk Hunger as Pandemic Food Aid Ends and SNAP Benefits Face Cuts

Millions of low-income Americans may soon lose eligibility for food assistance as the federal government ends policies that kept them from going hungry during the pandemic. According to an analysis report by Reuters on February 16, 2023, this drop in aid could undo progress towards the Biden administration’s goal of ending U.S. hunger by 2030, warn anti-hunger advocates. In addition, the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives may pursue further cuts to food assistance to reduce the U.S. deficit.

The changes mean that SNAP benefits will be reduced by approximately $82 a month beginning in March, affecting recipients of the program, as reported by The Guardian on February 15, 2023. Since March 2020, states have been able to allocate the maximum allowable benefits to SNAP recipients instead of applying deductions tied to income and other factors. However, this will end in May when President Biden’s administration lifts the coronavirus public health emergency. The benefits kept the percentage of Americans experiencing food insecurity steady at 10% through 2021, and food insufficiency dropped by about 9%.

The debate over US food assistance expenditure Is set to ramp up in the coming months as lawmakers draft a new farm bill. Democrats often support benefit expansion, but Republicans normally oppose it. In the ongoing debt ceiling debate, the House Budget Committee has proposed SNAP cuts as a way to reduce spending. Food prices are up 10% since last year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.