U.S House Agriculture Committee proposes SNAP cuts

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The U.S House Agriculture committee is proposing a cut to SNAP benefits that would be the largest rollback of food assistance in the country's history.

The cut would be $230 billion, targeting the former food stamps program. If it were to go through, the pressure would be put onto states to keep SNAP programs alive.

"In Texas, we were anticipating that we would be on the hook at the state level for about $1 billion a year in in benefits," said Celia Cole.

Cole is the CEO of Feeding Texas, the state's association of food banks. She says that Texas would be forced to support the 3.5 million people on SNAP right now without federal assistance.

"It's basically taking kind of a 50 year commitment to ensuring that no American goes hungry, and shifting that responsibility back to the states, who will just simply won't be able to make up that difference."

Cole said that the Committee is making these cuts to prioritize other spendings.

ABC-7 also spoke with Susan Goodell, the CEO of El Pasoans Fighting Hunger. EPFH serves over 180,000 families per year, but don't have the capacity to take the demand that might be coming with these cuts.

"For every meal that a food bank gives out, we are looking at the SNAP benefits providing nine meals. That is a huge cut. It's not something we can consider making up at the food bank. The food bank cannot grow by nine times overnight."

Cole said that the bill could pass through the House, but she's hearing the Senate is not a huge fan of the current language. She's urging Texas lawmakers to think of their constituents.

"Everyone that cares about their community and wants to make sure that that none of their neighbors go hungry needs to raise their voice now."

For more information on the bill, you can find it here.