Urge Congress to Strengthen SNAP Benefit Adequacy in the Farm Bill

Here are some actions you can take provided by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), a national anti-hunger advocacy group that monitors the Farm Bill and other nationwide hunger legislation.

• Use the FRAC Action Network to quickly and easily contact your Member of Congress and urge them to oppose efforts to weaken or cut SNAP to finance other provisions in the Farm Bill. 
• Share FRAC’s one-pager on Farm Bill priorities.
• Submit comments to the Senate Agriculture Committee on FRAC’s Farm Bill priorities. Use FRAC’s Farm Bill comments template for House Members and urge them to protect and strengthen SNAP.
• Actively engage your Members of Congress in your advocacy. Use these FRAC resources.
• Read FRAC’s statement to the House Democratic Task Force on Agriculture and Nutrition in the 21st Century for 2023 Farm Bill recommendations to improve SNAP and systematically tackle hunger in the United States.

Resources and Helpful Fact Sheets

• SNAP / TFP fact sheet 
• CAFB joint statement 
• CA 73 Farm Bill TFP org letter
• Visit House and Senate for instructions on how to contact your Member. Use FRAC’s customizable email template to send your Members a message. 
• Collect stories to document the harm and negative impacts that the hunger cliff and other efforts to weaken SNAP have done in your community.
• Engage media – print and social – to alert Members of Congress to anti-hunger priorities.

More Details on the Farm Bill

Farm Bill: Congress Must Protect and Strengthen SNAP, TEFAP, and Other Anti-Hunger Programs

Call the Capital Switch Board at 202-224-3121 and urge your Representative or Senator to reject the House Ag Committee markup of the farm bill and to support the following items:

H.R. 3037/S. 1336 — Closing the Meal Gap Act

Base SNAP benefit allotments on the more adequate
Low-Cost Food Plan. Boost SNAP benefits for families with children forced to choose between food and shelter. Boost SNAP benefits for older Americans forced to choose between food and medicine. Boost the SNAP minimum monthly benefit, which currently is only $23.Improve equitable access by extending SNAP to Puerto Rico

H.R. 1510/S. 2435 — Improving Access to Nutrition Act
 End SNAP’s arbitrary three-month time limit to ensure that all
eligible people have access to nutrition assistance and stay
healthy.

H.R. 3183/S. 1488 — Enhance Access to SNAP Act
(EATS Act)Eliminate the barriers that college students face when
accessing SNAP.

H.R. 3519/S. 2258 — The Hot Foods Act
End the prohibition on the use of SNAP benefits to
purchase hot prepared foods from food retailers.

H.R. 4170/S. 2038 — The Lift the Bar Act
Eliminate the five-year bar (i.e., waiting period) for legal
permanent immigrants to access SNAP and other
federal programs.

H.R. 3479/S. 1753 — The Restore Act
Repeal the lifetime federal ban on individuals with felony
drug convictions from receiving SNAP.

Ensuring Equitable Food Access

Indian Country: Improve SNAP access for tribal populations, including by allowing participation in both SNAP and Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) 

Puerto Rico and U.S. Territories: Extend the pathway for SNAP to Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands

Key Decision Makers Regarding the Farm Bill

The Honorable Alex Padilla
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

The Honorable Ken Calvert
Dean, California Republican
Congressional Delegation
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Laphonza Butler
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

The Honorable Zoe Lofgren
Chair, California Democratic
Congressional Delegation
Washington, DC 20515

CAPITOL SWITCHBOARD: 202-224-3121

Call the Capitol Switchboard to:

• Connect with your local lawmaker and share your thoughts on the Farm Bill and TFP (Thrifty Food Plan) 
• Urge your own Representative or Senator to reject the House Ag Committee markup of the farm bill.