Governor Healey Calls on Congress to Reject Federal Cuts to Food Assistance for One Million Massachusetts Residents

 Governor Healey Calls on Congress to Reject Federal Cuts to Food Assistance for One Million Massachusetts Residents  

Proposed changes to SNAP could cost Massachusetts $710 million annually  

BOSTON – Governor Maura Healey sent a letter to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and the House Committee on Agriculture urging them to reject changes proposed by Congressional Republicans to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP is a federal program that provides food to more than one million Massachusetts families, including children, seniors, veterans and people with disabilities. 

“This budget proposal from Congressional Republicans will force Massachusetts families to go hungry and take away business from local retailers and farmers,” said Governor Healey. “More than one million Massachusetts residents, including children, seniors, veterans and people with disabilities, rely on SNAP to keep food on the table, and it injects nearly $3 billion into the Massachusetts economy through more than 5,500 Massachusetts businesses. States do not have the resources to make up for these federal cuts. We’re grateful to our Massachusetts Congressional delegation for standing firm in opposition to this proposal, but we need Congressional Republicans to do the right thing and fund the SNAP program.” 

“SNAP is a lifeline for so many families and businesses across our state and the nation,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “The proposals we’ve seen from Republicans in Congress would make this vital food program impossible for states to administer and impossible to understand for people who need it. It pulls the rug out from under states who have worked in good faith partnership with the federal government for decades. Congressional Republicans know that no state can make up such a devastating funding cut like this. This proposal will force kids to go hungry and hurt our economy.” 

“Cutting SNAP at this scale is reckless and dangerous,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh. “In Massachusetts, one third of SNAP recipients are children, nearly one third have a disability, and one quarter are older adults. In my time at Boston Medical Center and at EOHHS, I've seen up close how SNAP and food assistance programs lead to better health outcomes and lower health care costs. To hack away at SNAP is bad policy, plain and simple.”

“These proposed cuts fundamentally misunderstand how SNAP actually works," said Department of Transitional Assistance Commissioner Jeff McCue. "Massachusetts already has skin in the game, splitting administrative expenses equally with the federal government, adhering to strict quality control standards, and facing financial penalties when errors occur. This isn't a one-sided arrangement. States already invest significant time and funding into running efficient, compliant programs. Slashing federal support now would devastate our most vulnerable residents and undermine decades of collaborative work to help families achieve economic stability. The impact would ripple through our communities, affecting children's development, seniors' health, and our state's economic vitality.” 

The current proposal from Congressional Republicans is estimated to cost Massachusetts an additional $710 million annually. No state budget can cover that significant of a cost. As a result, families across the state could lose access to the program they rely on to keep food on the table. The emergency food system is already overwhelmed with demand and will be unable to fully meet the needs of millions of people across the country who will go hungry because of these policy changes. The proposal will also hurt Massachusetts businesses, as the program brings nearly $3 billion to over 5,500 Massachusetts businesses. Every dollar in SNAP benefits generates up to $1.50 in local economic activity. SNAP supports thousands of Massachusetts jobs in every community across many different industries, including farmers, grocers, manufacturers and delivery drivers. 

SNAP cuts would harm Massachusetts’ almost 7,000 local farmers and the agricultural economy by removing a critical income stream that flows through farmers markets, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs, and local grocery purchases. Rural communities and family farms, which are already facing economic challenges, would experience further financial strain if this significant market for their products shrinks.