MLRI analysis of FY22 Proposed Ways and Mean Budget and key amendments we need your help on

FoodSNAP

We are pleased to share MLRI’s analysis of the House Ways and Means budget, released Wednesday afternoon. MLRI’s analysis is HERE. Of note to the SNAP Coalition, HWM rejected the Governors’ proposed cut to the TAFDC and EAEDC cash grants, rejected the MEFAP and HIP cuts and restored Project Bread’s line item language for the Food Source Hotline and CNOP.  Well done!

We are flagging key amendments and asking you get help us get House members to sign on:

·         Amendment #83, Lift our Kids:  Filed by Rep. Decker, this amendment would increase TAFDC and EAEDC by 20% for 26,000 families with children and 20,000 elders and persons with disabilities. Even with the historic 10% grant increase that took effect in January 2021, cash assistance grants are still far too low to meet families' basic needs.  The maximum TAFDC grant for a family of 3 is only $652/month.  For an elder or disabled individual, the maximum EAEDC grant is just $334/month.  There is sufficient funding in the TAFDC line item to cover the TAFDC grant increase. Boosting the EAEDC grant will require an additional $15.1M.  Please ask your Rep. to co-sponsor Amendment # 83.  

 

·         Amendment #41, Closing the SNAP Gap: Filed by Rep Jay Livingstone extends the line item language secured in the FY2021 budget that requires EOHHS to let Medicaid and Medicare Savings Program applicants apply for SNAP at the same time.  (The FY21 budget was 5.5 months late due to COVID).  This amendment keeps the pressure under the Baker Administration to finish the job!  This is a cost-neutral amendment, the Baker Administration says that money is not the issue.  Please urge your member to join Rep Livingstone and co-sponsor!

 

·         Amendment #424, School Nutrition: Filed by Rep Andy Vargas (lead sponsor of the Feed Kids legislation), this cost-neutral amendment would require school districts that are eligible to adopt the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) do so in School Year 2021/22 and subsequent years (if USDA does not extend free school meals next year). Given the 25% growth in the SNAP caseload, many more school districts should qualify for CEP.  Please urge your member to join Rep Vargas and co-sponsor. 

If you are working on other anti-hunger or anti-poverty amendments, please let us know and we will flag them for Coalition members. We will ship out more details on each amendmen 

Finally, we neglected to include the attached WIC powerpoint slide deck in some of the eblast lists we shipped out yesterday. Here it is in PDF format. 

NEXT SNAP Coalition Meeting is Tuesday, April 27th from 10 to 11:30.