Valley Families Unite Calls Out Congressman John Duarte’s failure to Protect SNAP
Modesto, CA – Last night, Congressman John Duarte voted to make cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) included in the farm bill. This would cut approximately $30 billion in SNAP benefits from millions of families over the next decade. California is home to the highest number of CalFresh (the state SNAP program) households in the nation, with 2.6 million working families reliant on financial support for groceries, nearly 46,000 of whom live in Duarte’s district.
Irene Kao, Courage California and Valley Families Unite Executive Director stated,
“These reductions to SNAP benefits are unacceptable, and we call on Congress to reject them. Nothing can outweigh the extensive harm of cutting future benefits. Additionally, the bill would allow states to outsource SNAP administration to private contractors, which previous efforts have shown leads to delays, increased errors, and higher costs. As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, Congressman John Duarte voted in favor of these cuts, but we are calling on him to reject Chair Thompson’s proposal and focus on a farm bill that truly protects and strengthens SNAP for working families in the Central Valley. We call on Congressman Duarte to stand with Valley families and farm workers by opposing these cuts and advocating for a farm bill that ensures access to nutritious food for all Americans.”
For media inquiries or further information, please reach out to Mario Vasquez Zuniga at 661-483-4927 or mario@valleyfamiliesunite.org.
###
Valley Families Unite represents a shared vision of economic prosperity for working families and accountable leadership in California. With the collective strength of Courage California, Inland Empire United, Communities for a New California Action Fund and Lower Costs California, we are eager to hold our elected officials accountable for fighting for the economic well-being of California families.
