From the Food Research and Action Center (http://www.frac.org):
Contact Senators Casey and Toomey TODAY and urge them to demonstrate their support for SNAP by co-sponsoring and voting to support the Gillibrand SNAP amendment. Find their contact information in the following locations:
- Senator Robert Casey: http://casey.senate.gov (NOTE: Senator Casey has a toll-free number—(866) 802-2833)
- Senator Pat Toomey: http://toomey.senate.gov
Their offices should contact Kathryn Tanner in Sen. Gillibrand’s office, Kathryn_tanner@gillibrand.senate.gov, to co-sponsor the amendment.
Contact Etienne Melcher (emelcher@frac.org) or Ellen Teller (eteller@frac.org) with any feedback from your calls (202-986-2200).
Farm Bill Update
Farm Bill (S. 3240; http://www.ag.senate.gov/issues/farm-bill) debate resumes in the Senate today. At this time, no deal has been reached on amendments, but it is increasingly likely that a vote on the Gillibrand amendment could occur early in the week. Now is the time for you to contactyour Senators again and urge them to cosponsor and vote “YES” on the Gillibrand amendment.
As you know, currently, S. 3240 includes a $4.5 billion cut to SNAP over 10 years by reducing the ability of states to take part in the “Heat and Eat” program. The cut would mean that an estimated 500,000 households a year would lose $90 per month in SNAP benefits (Congressional Budget Office estimate). Follow these links to FRAC’s ‘Heat and Eat’ one-pager (http://frac.org/pdf/snap_cuts_and_heat_and_eat.pdf) and CRS’ ‘Heat and Eat’ memo (http://frac.org/pdf/snap_liheap_conressvc_may2012.pdf).
Senator Kirstin Gillibrand’s (D-NY) amendment (http://frac.org/pdf/anti_hunger_amendment.pdf) would restore these cuts and invests $500 million in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program.
Current List of Co-Sponsors:
Gillibrand (D-NY), Lautenberg (D-NJ), Schumer (D-NY), Reed (D-RI), Wyden (D-OR), Boxer (D-CA), Menendez (D-NJ), Scott Brown (R-MA), Whitehouse (D-NJ), Blumenthal (D-CT),Murray (D-WA), Kerry (D-MA), Lieberman (I-CT), Sanders (I-VT), Merkley (D-OR), and Nelson (D-FL).