February 14, 2025

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Budget Reconciliation
The Republican-led House Budget Committee last night passed a budget resolution that would require at least $4.5 trillion in tax cuts while slashing program spending by at least $1.5 trillion over 10 years. The House Budget Resolution instructs the Agriculture Committee to cut at least $230 billion for fiscal years 2025 through 2034 from programs within its jurisdiction, and at least $330 billion in cuts from the Education and the Workforce Committee during the same time period. The Senate Budget Resolution, passed out of committee on party lines, would boost defense and border security funding by more than $300 billion paid for by cuts to programs under the jurisdiction of multiple committees, including the Senate Agriculture Committee. Some Republicans in Congress are proposing gutting the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and school meals programs to make these cuts. While the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), as a non-mandatory program, is not included in budget reconciliation, the proposed cuts to SNAP, if passed, would have harmful ripple effects on WIC access. See FRAC’s statement.

Take Action 

1. Show your love for SNAP: Flood social media and call your Members of Congress TODAY via the Capitol switchboard to share and highlight the many strengths of SNAP and why it must be protected. Use the FRAC Action Network to email your Members and get vocal on social media with FRAC’s toolkit. 
2. Sign-on letter — Sign your national, state, or community-based organization (authorized signers only) on to this letter (now over 1,000 organizations) pushing back against proposals to cut, gut, and/or weaken SNAP and child nutrition programs in budget reconciliation or in the Farm Bill. Be sure to distribute the letter widely to your networks, listservs, and agencies and encourage them to sign and share.   
3. Take the FRAC SNAP Challenge: Try to get the nutrition you need on the average SNAP benefit of about $6 per person per day. Share your experience with Members of Congress to show why SNAP must be strengthened, not weakened.   

Oppose Cuts to School Meals
Proposals are currently under consideration in Congress that would make $12 billion in cuts to school breakfast and lunch. Learn more in FRAC’s blog.  

Take Action 

National Organizations: The National Healthy School Meals for All Coalition and the National Alliance for Nutrition & Activity (NANA) Coalition are circulating a sign-on letter for national organizations urging Congress to oppose any cuts to school meals. Please add your organization's name by Tuesday, February 18.  

State/local organizations/individuals: Use the FRAC Action Network to urge your Members of Congress to protect school meals. 

Fiscal Year 2025 Appropriations
Leadership of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees continue to meet to hammer out an agreement on the remainder of fiscal year 2025 funding in advance of the looming March 14 deadline. 

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Confirmed
The Food Research & Action Center congratulates Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins on her confirmation, and we look forward to working with her to ensure that federal nutrition programs continue to fulfill their critical role in supporting the health and well-being of millions of children and families. With hunger on the rise and food prices high, now is the time to protect and strengthen these proven programs to ensure that everyone can access the food they need to thrive. Strengthening these programs is also important to supporting our nation’s farmers, food retailers, and local economies. Any efforts to weaken nutrition programs would weaken our country.