California Attorney General Xavier Becerra recently joined a coalition of 22 attorneys general and the City of New York in a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue calling on the Trump Administration to halt efforts to move forward on a proposed rule that threatens food security for millions of Americans.
The proposed rule attacks the existing process around categorical eligibility that makes it easier for states to flexibly administer the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in line with actual community needs. In the letter, the coalition highlights the devastating impact COVID-19 has had on working families and asserts that now is not the time to move forward on a rule that would take food away from families in need.
“Slamming the door on food assistance for families in need goes against our core value of giving everyone an opportunity to succeed,” said Becerra. “As our coalition notes, it is critical that people who are supposed to stay at home are able to have food on the table at home. Taking away the lifeline SNAP provides while an unprecedented number of Americans are losing their jobs, their paychecks, and their ability to put food on the table is unconscionable. That’s why we’re calling on Secretary Perdue to put a halt to this callous rule and protect working families who are struggling in the face of this economic and public health crisis.”
In the letter, the coalition calls on the USDA to act in accordance with the federal government’s own directive to prioritize all resources to slow the spread of COVID-19. The coalition urges the USDA to immediately focus all resources on the critical issues working families face in responding to the coronavirus, not on finalizing the proposed rule to deny SNAP benefits to millions of people. Finalizing the proposed rule now would put an undue burden on state agencies on the front lines of the response to COVID-19.
For the latest on COVID-19 preparedness, visit https://covid19.ca.gov/. For information on scams and price gouging, visit https://oag.ca.gov/consumers/COVID-19.
