WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) joined her colleagues on the House Agriculture Committee to discuss the Republican plan to cut $230 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which will take food away from seniors, children, and veterans while reducing demand for the food America’s farmers grow.
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Budzinski focused on the impact these cuts will have on the broader economy, such as grocery stores, truck drivers and farmers who take pride in putting food on people’s tables. It’s estimated that cutting SNAP by $230 billion would reduce farm revenue by $30 billion, causing additional harm to an already struggling farm economy.
WATCH: Budzinski Slams House Republicans’ Plan to Cut SNAP for Working Families
Budzinski’s remarks as prepared for delivery can be found below:
Thank you – as you know, SNAP is a lifeline for families across the country. That’s been made crystal clear here today.
Not just in Democratic districts – but in places across the country, in some of the deepest red districts.
You would think that House Republicans would be banding together to protect this lifeline for their constituents – to show them they’re fighting to protect these programs and make it easier to put food on the table.
Wrong.
Instead, they are pushing for a massive $230 billion CUT to SNAP in order to pay for tax giveaways to billionaires.
$230 billion – this is the number we have been hearing again and again.
But that’s because it’s massive – it captures just how devastating it will be for families, farmers, and entire industries across this country.
It’s not just about reducing food assistance for a single mom in Springfield, Illinois, or communities in the Metro East. The impacts of these cuts ripple out far beyond the kitchen table.
What does it really mean when you cut $230 billion from SNAP? It means $230 billion less for grocery stores, manufacturing plants, truck drivers, and—most critically, in my district—our farmers.
SNAP doesn’t just provide food assistance – it powers parts of our economy.
A new analysis from the National Grocers Association found that SNAP generated over $4.5 billion in federal, state and local tax receipts in 2024. The program supports about 388,000 jobs at grocery stores, warehouses, trucking companies, farms, and more. This contributes over $20 billion in direct wages.
The agriculture economy, which powers many rural communities, would be severely weakened. Grocery stores are going to have less and less money to stay running – and that means less money in their pockets for their crops.
This cut could result in $30 billion in lost income for farmers.
I know many of these farmers – and I’ve met with them in recent weeks. They’re scared. Farmers take pride in feeding their communities. In getting their hands dirty and working hard, knowing that the food they grow gets to children and parents in need.
With all the economic uncertainty facing America right now, do we need to cut farm income by $30 billion?
We’re dealing with trade wars that threaten to devastate soybean farmers in my district. We’ve got high input costs—everything from seeds to fuel—and in some cases, it’s impossible for farmers to make a decent living. Add to that the low prices that don’t even cover the cost of production, and you’ve got a perfect storm.
Cutting SNAP isn’t just a hit to the most vulnerable in our society—it’s a hit to the heart of our rural economies.
It's a blow to grocery stores, to truck drivers, to everyone who is a part of this food system. And it’s going to hurt our farmers—who are already operating on razor-thin margins.
So let’s be clear: these cuts don’t just take food away from families. They take away $30 billion in farm income, they put tens of thousands of jobs at risk, and they drag down the very communities that are already fighting to get by.
We can’t afford to make these cuts. Our families, our farmers, and our economy deserve better.
Thank you.
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