New York State has joined 22 others in a unified plea to Congressional leaders to preserve critical nutrition benefits under threat from a GOP-led reconciliation bill. The proposed legislation could gut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), leaving millions of Americans—including 3 million New Yorkers—without food assistance.
A coordinated effort against unprecedented funding shift
The letter, co-signed by Governor Kathy Hochul and governors from across the nation, expresses deep concern about proposed changes that would shift up to 25% of SNAP benefit costs from the federal government to the states. This would place an unsustainable burden on state budgets, potentially forcing many states to end their SNAP programs altogether.
“If states are forced to end their SNAP programs, hunger and poverty will increase, children and adults will get sicker, grocery stores in rural areas will struggle to stay open, people in agriculture and the food industry will lose jobs, and state and local economies will suffer,” Hochul warned in a public statement.
Impact on New York State
New York currently serves about 3 million residents through SNAP. The proposed cost shift could saddle the state with hundreds of millions in new annual expenses. Without the ability to absorb such costs, lawmakers may be forced to cut enrollment or end the program.
Hochul emphasized that the impact would ripple far beyond those receiving benefits:
- Local grocery stores, especially in rural areas, could lose significant revenue.
- Farmers and food producers would face reduced demand.
- Increased poverty and hunger could strain health care systems and public services.
Medicaid, disaster aid also at risk
In addition to SNAP, the reconciliation bill proposes cuts to Medicaid and other essential federally funded safety net programs. States would be left scrambling to fill the gaps, often with limited or no resources…