On May 22, LeadingAge joined a coalition of organizations in a letter to House and Senate Agriculture Committee leadership urging Congress to address the needs of older adults who are threatened by or experience hunger who receive food assistance every day as the Farm Bill is up for reauthorization.

The House’s proposed Farm Bill includes $30 billion cuts over the next 10 years to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, aka food stamps). The House Agriculture Committee passed its Farm Bill on May 23; Senate consideration has yet to be scheduled. The Senate’s draft Farm Bill would not cut the SNAP program.

“We urge you to oppose a Farm Bill proposal that makes cuts to future SNAP benefits or includes any harmful policies that would worsen the problem of hunger for America’s older adults and other food insecure individuals,” the letter said.