Ed Bolen

Senior Policy Analyst, food assistance @CenteronBudget

[Katie Bergh @Katie_Bergh]

People should be able to buy the foods that meet their dietary requirements, cultural preferences & other needs. Efforts to restrict the food that SNAP participants can buy would add costly red tape & take agency away from & increase stigma on people who need SNAP.

[Ed Bolen @ed_bolen]

#SNAP is our nation’s most effective tool for combating hunger. We shouldn't go backwards & allow SNAP benefits to become increasingly out of step with the cost of a healthy diet.

[Ed Bolen @ed_bolen]

At Wed House Ag Comm. hearing Chair Thompson promoted cutting SNAP benefits by $30B to fund farm bill priorities - by taking away future #ThriftyFoodPlan updates that ensure SNAP benefits reflect the latest scientific evidence. The cost of the TFP is the basis for #SNAP benefits.

[Ed Bolen @ed_bolen]

Critically, the 2018 farm bill also required USDA to regularly reexamine the TFP moving forward to ensure that SNAP keeps pace over time, but future updates aren’t expected to be as big as the one in 2021 that made up for 5 decades of deferred adjustments.

[Ed Bolen @ed_bolen]

Let’s be clear: work requirements harm SNAP participants & don’t increase employment. They just cut people off from receiving the food assistance they need: https://t.co/3oeYsfeXtx

[Ed Bolen @ed_bolen]

As Congress prepares to reauthorize SNAP in the pending farm bill, prominent proposals from House Republicans would harm SNAP participants by taking food away from people who can’t meet or are exempt from new work requirements: https://t.co/3oeYsfeXtx

[Ed Bolen @ed_bolen]

Many of the jobs that SNAP participants hold are in essential services.
SNAP is a critical support for these workers, as these jobs typically pay low wages, offer unreliable hours, & don’t provide benefits.
This bill will increase hardship w/o improving employment outcomes.

[Ed Bolen @ed_bolen]

What happens when people receive more food assistance through SNAP? Millions are lifted out of poverty. Read more:

[Urban Institute @urbaninstitute]

New projections: What 2 policies affecting SNAP benefits in the fourth quarter of 2021 meant for US poverty rates https://t.co/BxUEvkAna2

[Ed Bolen @ed_bolen]

The amazing Ty Jones Cox makes a powerful case for SNAP at the House Agriculture Nutrition Subcommittee!