Another fight is brewing over food stamps.  

Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives are urging Republican leaders to keep the federal SNAP program under federal control instead of block grants sent directly to states.

Reps. Alma Adams (D-N.C.) and Rosa DeLauro (D-Connecticut) are among 129 members of the caucus calling on House Speaker Paul Ryan and Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price to protect the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which lifts millions of Americans out of poverty. The letter is in response to Ryan’s plans to address poverty through a GOP task force.

“For the 45 million Americans relying on the SNAP program, we urge you to reject this proposal,” the Democrats wrote. “Shifting this program to a block grant, and limiting states to a set amount of funding, means that states would be faced with impossible choices as need increased: Do they cut benefits, or do they place children and seniors on waiting lists for food assistance? Doing so would roll back a generation of progress against very deep hunger, and destroy a bipartisan compact that has developed and sustained a strong and effective national nutrition safety net.”

The Democrats contend the House budget should focus on economic growth and job creation as well as strengthening SNAP so participants are in position to take advantage of education and work opportunities.

 In 2014, SNAP lifted 4.7 million Americans out of poverty, including 2.1 million children. In recent years, however, conservative lawmakers have pushed for program cuts as well as eligibility changes that tie benefits to job searches. Federal law requires adult food stamp recipients under 50 with no children to prove they’re working, volunteering or taking classes for at least 20 hours a week. The provision was suspended during the 2008 recession, but resumed Jan. 1 for 23 N.C. counties across the state, including Wake, Durham and Mecklenburg.

About 115,000 residents are impacted  Over the past decade, Mecklenburg and Guilford counties have the most SNAP participants in North Carolina.  In 2012, Mecklenburg had 158,452 participants and Guilford 100,505. In North Carolina, more than 1.8 million people are food insecure. The 12th District is first in the state and ninth in the country for hunger.  

“If SNAP is block granted, many millions of seniors, people with disabilities, children, struggling parents – working and unemployed – and others will suffer. Our country will also see more hunger and poverty, worse health and educational outcomes, and higher health costs. The nation as a whole will be weaker – morally, economically, and fiscally.

Adams launched a hunger initiative last May after a report released by the Food Research and Action Center concluded High Point and Greensboro – located in the congressional district she represents – are the most food-insecure areas in the nation.

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