Rep. Lujan Grisham one of 79 Co-Sponsors of Bill to Strengthen SNAP

Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham,  who represents the First Congressional District in New Mexico, is one of 79 members of the House of Representatives who have sponsored H.R. 1276, the Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2017. The bill is an important positive measure in the midst of many initiatives that threaten the well-being of low-income families in our country (including a tax bill that could increase hunger in our country).

Because all 79 co-sponsors of the initiative are Democrats, the tendency would be to view this as a "Democrat" measure. However, the focus should not be on party affiliation but on the impact of the initiative on hungry and low-income individuals and families in our country. Among the Democrats who have not signed on to the measure is Rep. Ben Ray Lujan.  If you are one of his constituents, you can  contact Rep. Lujan via his website.  If you live in southern New Mexico, contact Rep. Steve Pearce, a Republican, to let him know that this issue is important to you.

Here is a note from the Food Research and Action Center

Protect and Strengthen SNAP: Urge Members of Congress to oppose block granting SNAP, making structural changes to SNAP and/or cutting SNAP funding, whether through the budget, Farm Bill, or any other legislative vehicle. Instead, urge House Members to cosponsor H.R. 1276 to strengthen SNAP by increasing SNAP benefit amounts and ameliorating the harsh time limit on jobless adults willing to work.

Resources:
SNAP Matters Fact Sheet
USDA Report on SNAP Participation in FY2016
(44.2 million people participated in the program in an average month. Nearly two-thirds of SNAP participants were children, elderly, or had disabilities). Full Report  Summary

Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2017  (H.R. 1276)
This bill amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to revise the requirements for calculating Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) benefits.

The bill increases the minimum SNAP benefit and requires benefits to be calculated using a low-cost food plan. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must determine the requirements for the low-cost food plan, which is the diet required to feed a family of four, consisting of:

• a man and a woman 19-50 years of age,
• a child 6-8 years of age, and
• a child 9-11 years of age.

USDA must make adjustments to the plan to account for household size, changes in the cost of the diet, and the costs of food in specified areas.

The bill revises the amounts authorized for nutrition assistance block grants for Puerto Rico and American Samoa and requires the amounts to be modified based on adjustments to the low-cost food plan.

The bill modifies the requirements for calculating household income to determine SNAP eligibility by: (1) authorizing a standard medical expense deduction for households containing an elderly or disabled member, and (2) eliminating the cap on the deduction for excess shelter expenses.

The bill exempts from SNAP work requirements able-bodied adults without dependents who are not offered a position in a SNAP Employment and Training Program.