The Legislative Fight to Protect the Food Stamp Program

The Farm Bill is in the process of coming up before Congress to be approved. Among other things, the Food Stamp Program is part of it. This important food and nutrition program is one of the main vehicles that the government uses to address domestic hunger and it serves approximately 26 million people each month. This time Bush has suggested decreasing the program when in actuality, an increase is needed. Food stamp entitlements have not been adjusted for inflation for years. Politicians, local leaders and journalists across the nation have taken The Food Stamp Challenge, a public relations campaign to call attention to inadequate food stamp allocations where people try to eat on a food stamps budget for a day, week, or month. It is hoped that the campaign will strengthen support for the Food Stamp Program.

According to FRAC, ”the Feeding America's Families Act (H.R 2129) makes long overdue --and desperately needed-- changes in the Food Stamp Program by improving benefit levels, expanding eligibility, and improving access. It addresses outdated resource tests that count modest savings against a person's eligibility. It also provides families with greater access to an adequate diet by raising the food stamp benefit levels, which currently average a meager $1 per person per meal and only $10 a month for those at the minimum benefit level.”

Groups and advocates are pushing for additional spending on the program. According to the June 6 FRAC News Digest, on National Hunger Awareness Day (June 5), Senate Agriculture Chairman Tom Harkin stressed the importance of easing eligibility rules and raising benefits in the Food Stamp Program as part of the next Farm Bill. Harkin said that these issues must be addressed before the Farm Bill can pass through Congress.

Information, quotes, and excerpts for the above article was gathered from Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) News Digest Issue 16, April 16, 2007, Issue 18, May 8, 2007 and Issue 19, June 6, 2007.