GOP strikes out at the poor

Yesterday a Farm Bill with $8 billion in food stamp cuts passed the Senate—having earlier passed the House. The Farm Bill will now become law, and these food stamp cuts will go into effect.

The result will be more poor Americans going hungry. 850,000 families with nearly 2,000,000 people will lose an average of $90 / month in food assistance. That is on top of an $11 billion cut to food stamps in November that cost 48 million people an average of $38 / month.

Still, our work had an impact. Back in June, only three Senate Democrats voted against an earlier version of the Farm Bill with food stamp cuts. Yesterday, nine Senate Democrats rejected the Farm BIll. In the House, over 100 Democrats (a majority of the caucus) said “no” to a Farm Bill that cut food stamps.

This is a sad day, but I am grateful to have fought against food stamp cuts with each and every one of you. There is a war against poor people in America, but you stood up and fought back. We are going to keep standing up and fighting back.

One day we will roll back these cuts and expand the food stamp program. For now, please consider making a donation to a food bank near you. There are people out there who are really going to need the help.