Congressman Krishnamoorthi And Illinois Secretary Of Human Services Hou Lead Press Conference Opposing Trump Plan To Slash SNAP Anti-Hunger Program

Statement

Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Illinois Secretary of Human Services Grace Hou, Congressman Danny Davis (D-IL-07), Greater Chicago Food Depository Executive Director Kate Maehr, and Chicago Department of Public Health Deputy Commissioner Jennifer Vidis held a press conference at a local Chicago IDHS/SNAP Facility opposing the Trump Administration's proposal to cut SNAP, the nation's most important anti-hunger program by $181 billion.

"I know the importance of the SNAP program firsthand because, when my family went through a difficult time during my childhood, the Food Stamp Program helped us as my parents worked our way out of it," said Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. "Without the support of SNAP and the anti-hunger programs that came before it, millions of families would not have had the chance to get back on their feet and achieve their American dreams. The President's proposal would be devastating to our efforts to end hunger in America, and would have a negative impact on the health of our economy."

"Hunger should not be used as a weapon," said IDHS Secretary Grace Hou. "So when the SNAP program is under attack, the State of Illinois stands firm with the 1.7 million people who rely on this program to put food on the table. IDHS will continue to fight harmful SNAP requirements and do everything we can at the state level to help our customers train and find work."

"Mayor Lightfoot's administration is committed to addressing the poverty and economic hardship that plague too many of our communities, and just last week held a poverty summit to bring together various agencies and community partners to explore innovative ways to combat these problems," said Jennifer Vidis, Deputy Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public. "Ensuring that our children, families, and elderly have access to adequate and healthy food is foundational to this work. We need a partner, not a foe, in the federal government to achieve these goals."

"SNAP is the frontline defense against hunger in this country," said Kate Maehr, executive director and CEO of the Greater Chicago Food Depository. "Simply put, charity cannot replace SNAP. We're grateful to our legislative partners, like Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, who fight to protect SNAP and we'll continue to voice our opposition to threats to the federal safety net."

Contrary to the attacks leveled against SNAP, the program has shown clear benefits for the most vulnerable Americans while also contributing to the wellbeing of their communities.

More than 70% of SNAP recipients live in households with children.
More than 25% live in households with seniors or individuals with disabilities.
Every dollar of SNAP funding increases the GDP by $1.73.
SNAP increases purchasing power across communities creates jobs and supports farmers, grocery stores, truck drivers, and many others.
Earlier this month, Congressman Krishnamoorthi led eight of his colleagues, who had also been on SNAP or the Food Stamp Program at some point in their lives, in a letter urging President Trump to abandon his plan to slash the anti-hunger program.

Source