We’re following up on our eblasts Friday and yesterday on federal and state issues. Action steps today and tomorrow. No rest for the weary!
SNAP Day of Action - TOMORROW!
Thanks to Project Bread, here are additional materials for the SNAP Day of Action which is tomorrow - Wednesday April 30th! And check out today’s powerful Washington Post Op Ed by Chef Jose Andres, “Rural America is hungry. Is Congress about to make that worse?”
ACTION STEPS:
- Contact the MA Congressional Delegation. Please urge your work colleagues, family and friends to call or email House and Senate members. Use THIS LINK provided by Project Bread (which can also be used for out-of-state Members of Congress).
- Dial up the noise! Use this Communications Toolkit with your networks and social media.
Background
Congress is advancing a budget reconciliation bill that is poised to include unprecedented and cruel cuts to SNAP. Proposals include:
- Cutting SNAP benefits by rolling back the Biden Admin updates to the USDA Thrifty Food Plan, which provided a modest increase to SNAP benefits, from about $4.80 to $6.20/day per person.
- Shifting a portion of SNAP benefit costs to states, an unprecedented change to the program’s funding structure. A cost-shift of 10% could require MA to cover an estimated $240M in federal fiscal year 2026 alone, competing with other critical state budget priorities.
- Expanding the cruel and ineffective time limits for SNAP participation to more groups of people who are currently exempt, including older adults, families with children, and people in areas with high unemployment.
100 Days of Harm: Boston Rally at Noon TODAY - April 29th
Today at noon outside the JFK Federal Building (15 Sudbury Street, Boston), advocacy groups are holding an event to mark 100 days into Trump's second term. Speakers will address the changes Trump has wrought on health care, immigration, reproductive rights, access to services for older adults, disability rights and more. Sponsoring groups include the Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA), Disability Policy Consortium, Health Care for All (HCFA), Reproductive Equity Now, and Massachusetts Senior Action Council. You can RSVP to HCFA here.
Day 1 of MA House FY26 Budget Debate - Status of priority amendments, and FY25 Supp Budget
One advocate summed it up:…“Felt like it was over even before it began.” Well indeed, it sure felt that way in some respects. Over the weekend, the 1,650 budget amendments filed by House members were grouped into topic categories. Yesterday the “Social Services and Education” amendments were pulled into “Consolidated Amendment A.” Unfortunately, the bulk of our priority food security and economic security amendments we’ve been tracking were NOT adopted. The House debate is NOT over - the House will continue today (and likely tomorrow) with the rest of the FY26 amendments if you are working on other issues.
Was it worth the effort? Always a reasonable existential question - but YES. Absolutely. The MA Senate still has to put together its FY26 recommended budget in May and then both budgets must be “reconciled” in the Conference Committee in June. If the Senate budget includes a budget priority, the House members who co-sponsored an amendment can help push the Conference Committee to get it over the finish line.
Note on stolen SNAP replacement: In addition to the Senate, we have another opportunity with the House to advocate for state replacement funds for victims of SNAP theft, when they take up the next FY25 supplemental budget. Please continue to stay in touch with Vicky - vnegus@mlri.org - about case examples and advocacy on this critical issue!
Thank you. A huge thanks to everyone who made a call, sent an email, posted on social media, and swung by the State House. Your voices are important - regardless of the outcome. The focus now is on the Senate (and FY25 Supp). Look out for more info on that. Onward!
Access Barriers with the Social Security Administration - Please Flag with Mass Senior Action
Last week our friends at the Mass Senior Action Council (MSAC) presented about the growing significant barriers facing older adults and persons with disabilities in applying for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits -including delayed checks, long wait times on hold, unable to get an appointment, no walk in services. Under the Trump Administration, folks are facing both limited phone and in-person access. MSAC is also a plaintiff in federal litigation challenging these SSA restrictions.
MSAC l wants to hear from you and your clients about their dealings with SSA. Please urge SSI and Social Security recipients to share their stories. Call MSAC at 617-435-1926 or info@masenioraction.org.
