Bill’s Changes to Nutrition Assistance Program Disproportionally Impacts New Yorkers; Cuts Benefits for 12,530 Households in Westchester & Rockland Counties

Lowey: Farm bill “hurts New Yorkers who have fallen on tough times.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – January 30, 2014 – (RealEstateRama) — Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-Westchester/Rockland), the senior Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, opposed the Farm Bill considered by the House earlier today because it would disproportionately impact New Yorkers, reducing nutritional assistance benefits $90 per month for approximately 12,530 households in Westchester and Rockland Counties and 300,000 statewide.

“This bill would disproportionately hurt New Yorkers who have fallen on tough times. I cannot support legislation that makes life harder for my constituents, many of whom are vulnerable children, seniors, and veterans,” said Congresswoman Lowey. “Instead of placing the burden of debt reduction on those who have fallen on tough times, we should increase investments that make our country more competitive and close wasteful tax loopholes for companies that ship jobs overseas.”

In New York and more than a dozen other states, the farm bill reduces Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits by $90 per month for millions of low-income Americans. Approximately 300,000 households in New York will experience a $90 monthly benefit cut, including 9,880 in Westchester County and 2,650 in Rockland County. This reduction follows an approximately $11 billion cut to SNAP benefits impacting every SNAP household that took place on November 1 of last year.

A $90 cut per month to SNAP benefits means approximately 34 lost meals per month for each household.