Gallego to Offer Last Chance Amendment to Save SNAP

Washington, D.C.: Today the house will vote on H.R. 3102 – which would slash $40 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and take away nutritional assistance from nearly four million Americans – including children, seniors and 170,000 Veterans.

Congressman Gallego will offer a Motion to Recommit- which is essentially the last chance to amend legislation. He is expected to deliver his remarks between5:00pm-5:30pmEST/ 4:00pmCST-4:30pmCST. You can watch the floor debate here http://www.c-span.org/Live-Video/C-SPAN/.

During Congressman Gallego’s floor speech today against HR 3102 – he will tell the story of a San Antonio family that would be affected by cuts to SNAP. His remarks will include the following: 

“What we’re doing here affects everyday families. I want you to picture their faces.

Back in San Antonio, Texas, Dellany is a working mother of three.  She works FULL TIME at a doctor’s office – that’s 40 hours a week.

She raises three boys ages 8, 9, and seventeen.  They study at Sinclair Elementary, Salado Intermediate, and East Central High School.

Dellany said to our office, “I’m trying my best. I’m working hard.”

She’d like to get a second job, but then there would be no one to look after her children.

SNAP is not a luxury for her family by any means — it’s a necessity. The family turns to SNAP usually at the end of the month when their budget is tighter to help put food on their table. 

Cutting nutritional assistance would gravely impact her family - and nearly 4 million Americans across the country who would lose access to SNAP. 

When you cast your vote today, I’d like for you to think of Dellany and her three boys — and countless others like her. We should work to support families' needs, not take food off their kitchen table.”

Background

• The average person on SNAP receives $3.36 per day on food. Most individuals receive benefits for two weeks.
• 82% of households receiving SNAP include minor children or seniors
• Under H.R. 3102 210,000 kids would lose their school lunch.
• Already, in November, without Congressional action, SNAP will automatically lose funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. As a result, the average beneficiary will receive $133 per month – less.
• Error rates for the SNAP program are only three percent. Ninety seven percent of SNAP benefits are paid in the proper amounts to people who are really eligible.

Following the Congressman’s floor speech, we will send you a video of his complete remarks.

Per the email I sent yesterday, below, I’ve included a graph from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission that shows a breakdown of SNAP food benefits cases and recipients in the CD23 counties for August 2013. (Note that CD23 includes only parts of El Paso and Bexar counties).

The number of cases equals the designated group of people certified to receive the benefit (can be more than one person). The recipients equal the number of individuals receiving the benefit.

MONTHLY SNAP FOOD BENEFITS CASES and RECIPIENTS by COUNTY - August 2013 Benefit Month