Community Groups Ask Justice To Vote Against SNAP Proposal

Community groups, congregations and food banks sent U.S. Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.Va., an open letter Wednesday asking him to vote against a proposal before the Senate Agriculture Committee. 

According to the open letter, the committee proposal would shift up to $85 million in costs to the state for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program, also known as food stamps, by 2028. The groups worry the state would not support the program, putting families at risk. 

Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture indicates that approximately 277,000 people, or one-sixth of West Virginians, receive SNAP benefits. That number is well above the national average. West Virginia ranks sixth highest in the country for percentage of residents on SNAP. 

Regarding the proposal, Justice told Politico earlier this week: “If we don’t watch out, people are going to get hurt, people are going to be upset. It’s going to be the number-one thing on the nightly news all over the place.” 

His staff declined to offer any further comment. 

The Senate Agriculture Committee’s proposal also includes an expanded work reporting requirement, which would remove reporting exemptions for thousands of parents, as well as seniors and veterans.  

More than 400 miners were laid off in southern West Virginia in the past month alone, the letter noted. “This should be a clarion call to Sens. Justice and Capito that cutting people off SNAP is tantamount to kicking people while they’re down,” the letter reads.

The open letter can be viewed here.