July 24, 2019 - Washington, D.C. – Congressman Jim Costa (CA-16) released the following statement in response to the Trump Administration’s proposal to eliminate categorical eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which would prevent tens of thousands of hungry Californians from receiving benefits:

“This proposal is nothing more than an excuse for the Administration to kick millions of hungry Americans off of SNAP,” said Costa. “In my district, 25% of my constituents receive SNAP benefits and would lose the assistance they depend on with this rule.

“I fought to have expanded SNAP eligibility requirements included in the 2018 Farm Bill,which the President agreed to and signed into law last year. Now he’s calling these requirements a ‘loophole’. I will work with my colleagues in the House Agriculture Committee to fight for seniors, children and working families. We must ensure they receive the help they so desperately need.

Congress overwhelmingly opposed this same proposal during negotiations for the 2018 Farm Bill and any attempt by the Trump Administration override the law without congressional approval is unlawful. Forty states, including California, use broad-based categorical eligibility to determine SNAP benefits, which covers 38 million Americans. Should this rule be implemented, 3.1 million Americans would be stripped of this federal benefit.
Source: Congressman Jim Costa