Gillibrand Calls on Colleagues to Increase SNAP Funding

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is urging her colleagues in Congress to expand the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and increase benefits in the next coronavirus relief package.

Gillibrand said that even before the current coronavirus crisis began, SNAP was providing food assistance to 38 million Americans.  She said that now with millions more Americans dealing with economic fallout from widespread business closures and subsequent job losses, more low income households, the elderly, and people with disabilities are relying on this vital social safety net to feed themselves and their families.

In alignment with the recently passed HEROES Act,  Gillibrand is pushing Congress to provide an increase in maximum SNAP benefits by 15 percent and to also expand the SNAP program so that more Americans have more options to put nutritious food on the table.