The reauthorization of the federal child nutrition programs has failed, again, to pass before Congress adjourned for the holidays. Given how the negotiations broke down, reauthorizing legislation is unlikely to be raised again for a number of years. Barring any major changes to their budgets, the programs will continue under existing rules.
Thank you for each and every phone call and tweet, every site visit and email you’ve sent to Colorado’s Members of Congress. You made sure they knew how important summer meals and school breakfast are across our communities. You helped ensure these programs had champions in both the House and the Senate, people who wouldn’t walk away when the programs were threatened and carried forward the legacy of bipartisan commitment to making sure every child in America has access to the nutritious food they need to achieve their potential.
Read a full analysis by Politico on what happened to CNR (Child Nutrition Reauthorization).
While this is a setback for the program improvements we saw in the Senate version of the legislation, now is the time to turn our attention to the largest child nutrition program of all. We must make sure food stamps, known otherwise as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) stays strong and effective.
We don’t know exactly what will be proposed for food stamps when Congress reconvenes. Recent comments by both the House and Senate Agriculture Committees underline the important role of SNAP in making sure kids, seniors and working adults have enough food to fuel healthy lives, albeit with caveats about aspects of the program. But a series of proposals from House Speaker Paul Ryan over the years outlines drastic changes to a program that has been proven time and again to be efficient, effective and critically important.
We need to all of you be ready to stand up and fight for food stamps if threats should materialize. Hunger Free Colorado will be working hard to keep you informed about these developments and opportunities to engage.