Katie Bergh
@katiebergh.bsky.social
SNAP/WIC/Child Nutrition at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Come for the corgi pictures, stay for the food assistance policy.
Pinned
Katie Bergh
@katiebergh.bsky.social
· Aug 13
By the Numbers: Harmful Republican Megabill Takes Food Assistance Away From Millions of People | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
The harmful Republican megabill, enacted on July 4, will dramatically raise costs and reduce food assistance for millions of people by cutting federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance...
www.cbpp.org
We've updated our analysis of the Republican megabill's #SNAP cuts based on new info from CBO this week.
Bottom line: About 4 million people, including 1 million kids, are projected to see their SNAP benefits cut substantially or terminated altogether.
Bottom line: About 4 million people, including 1 million kids, are projected to see their SNAP benefits cut substantially or terminated altogether.
Reposted by Katie Bergh
After Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance at #SuperBowlLX, everyone’s talking about #PuertoRico. But here’s what many might not know about how federal policy affects the territory 🧵👇
February 11, 2026 at 3:05 PM
After Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance at #SuperBowlLX, everyone’s talking about #PuertoRico. But here’s what many might not know about how federal policy affects the territory 🧵👇
Reposted by Katie Bergh
The SNAP cuts will also make it harder for ppl to afford rent. They put ppl at risk of #eviction, having to move into substandard or crowded housing, or ending up on the streets or in shelters.
Trump Admin housing policies are also making things worse: bsky.app/profile/anna...
Trump Admin housing policies are also making things worse: bsky.app/profile/anna...
Many of the Trump Administration’s policies are making it harder for low-income families to afford basic needs. As more people lose SNAP in the coming months due to the megabill's deep cuts, these affordability challenges will only get worse.
Trump Administration, Congressional Republicans Are Worsening Affordability Challenges in Many Ways
A look at the Trump Administration’s policy choices and priorities demonstrate that the Administration and congressional Republicans have taken action after action that has or will raise the cost of g...
www.cbpp.org
January 30, 2026 at 9:36 PM
The SNAP cuts will also make it harder for ppl to afford rent. They put ppl at risk of #eviction, having to move into substandard or crowded housing, or ending up on the streets or in shelters.
Trump Admin housing policies are also making things worse: bsky.app/profile/anna...
Trump Admin housing policies are also making things worse: bsky.app/profile/anna...
Preliminary USDA data show that SNAP caseloads fell by 500,000+ people between September & October 2025. While the number of people participating in SNAP has generally been falling in 2025, this larger drop likely reflects disruption from the government shutdown (& data errors).
January 30, 2026 at 8:57 PM
Preliminary USDA data show that SNAP caseloads fell by 500,000+ people between September & October 2025. While the number of people participating in SNAP has generally been falling in 2025, this larger drop likely reflects disruption from the government shutdown (& data errors).
Reposted by Katie Bergh
Congressional Republicans, who barred D.C. from spending $1B of its own revenue in its 2025 budget, are moving to block another D.C. law. This action poses risks to D.C.'s public services & credit rating & could create filing chaos as tax season begins. www.cbpp.org/blog/congres...
Congress Must Allow D.C. to Spend Its Own Local Dollars
Congressional Republicans, who last year barred the District of Columbia from spending $1 billion of its own revenue in its 2025 budget, are now moving to block another DC law.
www.cbpp.org
January 30, 2026 at 6:47 PM
Congressional Republicans, who barred D.C. from spending $1B of its own revenue in its 2025 budget, are moving to block another D.C. law. This action poses risks to D.C.'s public services & credit rating & could create filing chaos as tax season begins. www.cbpp.org/blog/congres...
Reposted by Katie Bergh
Calls to split the DHS funding from the current 6-bill minibus aren’t calls for a shutdown.
The other 5 bills+ the already enacted bills provide 95%+ of total discretionary $. The other 5 bills have solid bipartisan support in both houses & should move on their own.
The other 5 bills+ the already enacted bills provide 95%+ of total discretionary $. The other 5 bills have solid bipartisan support in both houses & should move on their own.
January 26, 2026 at 9:44 PM
Calls to split the DHS funding from the current 6-bill minibus aren’t calls for a shutdown.
The other 5 bills+ the already enacted bills provide 95%+ of total discretionary $. The other 5 bills have solid bipartisan support in both houses & should move on their own.
The other 5 bills+ the already enacted bills provide 95%+ of total discretionary $. The other 5 bills have solid bipartisan support in both houses & should move on their own.
Reposted by Katie Bergh
Senators have the responsibility to uphold and defend the Constitution. Using the annual budget process when necessary to protect the constitutional rights and safety of all people and communities should be a requirement of the job.
In the wake of another horrific shooting death in MN by federal immigration officers -on top of wrongful detentions, violence, & fear there & across the country- it is appropriate for the Senate to use the budget process to push for critical protections for people & communities.
January 25, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Senators have the responsibility to uphold and defend the Constitution. Using the annual budget process when necessary to protect the constitutional rights and safety of all people and communities should be a requirement of the job.
Reposted by Katie Bergh
In the wake of another horrific shooting death in MN by federal immigration officers -on top of wrongful detentions, violence, & fear there & across the country- it is appropriate for the Senate to use the budget process to push for critical protections for people & communities.
January 25, 2026 at 3:52 PM
In the wake of another horrific shooting death in MN by federal immigration officers -on top of wrongful detentions, violence, & fear there & across the country- it is appropriate for the Senate to use the budget process to push for critical protections for people & communities.
Reposted by Katie Bergh
Our new paper on the Trump Admin’s unlawful, unsupported-by-evidence, and harmful efforts to freeze ~$10B in funding for child care & other essential needs in 5 Dem-led states, a fundamental threat to everyone's access to public services. www.cbpp.org/research/fed...
January 23, 2026 at 9:28 PM
Our new paper on the Trump Admin’s unlawful, unsupported-by-evidence, and harmful efforts to freeze ~$10B in funding for child care & other essential needs in 5 Dem-led states, a fundamental threat to everyone's access to public services. www.cbpp.org/research/fed...
Low-income families across the country are discovering in the checkout line that their SNAP benefits have been stolen & they can't pay for their groceries. It's devastating.
Yet USDA keeps pushing back the timeline for regulations to make EBT cards more secure to prevent this.
Yet USDA keeps pushing back the timeline for regulations to make EBT cards more secure to prevent this.
A govt watchdog recently reported that USDA is failing to prevent $555 million in SNAP benefits from being stolen from those that need them.
This comes as the Trump admin says it’s focused on fraud.
www.nextgov.com/digital-gove...
This comes as the Trump admin says it’s focused on fraud.
www.nextgov.com/digital-gove...
Agriculture’s failure to force SNAP card upgrades is causing $555M in lost benefits, watchdog says
The Trump administration’s imperative to combat fraud has largely focused on recipients scamming the system, rather than becoming victims of fraudsters themselves.
www.nextgov.com
January 23, 2026 at 5:45 PM
Low-income families across the country are discovering in the checkout line that their SNAP benefits have been stolen & they can't pay for their groceries. It's devastating.
Yet USDA keeps pushing back the timeline for regulations to make EBT cards more secure to prevent this.
Yet USDA keeps pushing back the timeline for regulations to make EBT cards more secure to prevent this.
If it's too complex for state officials to list the food items that can & cannot be purchased with SNAP under this waiver, how exactly are the stores implementing these rules & the low-income families trying to use their benefits supposed to figure it out? www.theatlantic.com/health/2026/...
January 22, 2026 at 11:03 PM
If it's too complex for state officials to list the food items that can & cannot be purchased with SNAP under this waiver, how exactly are the stores implementing these rules & the low-income families trying to use their benefits supposed to figure it out? www.theatlantic.com/health/2026/...
I think we’re in trouble. ❄️
January 22, 2026 at 8:49 PM
I think we’re in trouble. ❄️
The Trump Administration has eliminated this food insecurity report moving forward. Without this data, it’ll be difficult to measure the harm of the largest-ever cuts to food assistance enacted in H.R. 1 & unprecedented disruption to SNAP during the government shutdown.
After several months of delay, the USDA released the last of its annual reports on food security, showing that 47.9M people in 18.3M households reported having difficulty acquiring food due to lack of resources at some point in 2024. www.cbpp.org/blog/food-in...
January 22, 2026 at 6:39 PM
The Trump Administration has eliminated this food insecurity report moving forward. Without this data, it’ll be difficult to measure the harm of the largest-ever cuts to food assistance enacted in H.R. 1 & unprecedented disruption to SNAP during the government shutdown.
I suspect we're going to see a lot more of "lifted" as a euphemism as the full brunt of $187 billion in SNAP cuts — the deepest cuts to food assistance ever enacted — hits low-income families struggling to afford groceries.
Trump: "We lifted more than 1.2 million Americans off food stamps in one year. They would've had another 1.2 million. Welfare would've gone up."
January 20, 2026 at 10:33 PM
I suspect we're going to see a lot more of "lifted" as a euphemism as the full brunt of $187 billion in SNAP cuts — the deepest cuts to food assistance ever enacted — hits low-income families struggling to afford groceries.
Instead of helping families who are struggling to afford groceries, the first year of this Administration included:
- enacting the deepest cuts to SNAP in history
- suspending SNAP benefits during the government shutdown
- terminating our nation's most reliable measure of food insecurity
- enacting the deepest cuts to SNAP in history
- suspending SNAP benefits during the government shutdown
- terminating our nation's most reliable measure of food insecurity
As we mark one year since President Trump’s inauguration, it’s important to take stock of the harm the Administration – and congressional Republicans – have inflicted in such a short time. www.cbpp.org/research/fed...
January 20, 2026 at 8:39 PM
Instead of helping families who are struggling to afford groceries, the first year of this Administration included:
- enacting the deepest cuts to SNAP in history
- suspending SNAP benefits during the government shutdown
- terminating our nation's most reliable measure of food insecurity
- enacting the deepest cuts to SNAP in history
- suspending SNAP benefits during the government shutdown
- terminating our nation's most reliable measure of food insecurity
Can't imagine why states haven't wanted to hand this Administration the incredibly sensitive personal information of the tens of millions of people who have applied for or received SNAP in the last 6 years.
In a remarkable court filing, DOJ also revealed that DOGE employees traded Social Security data on an unapproved third party server — Cloudflare — and may have sent private SSA info to a top DOGE adviser. www.politico.com/news/2026/01...
January 20, 2026 at 8:05 PM
Can't imagine why states haven't wanted to hand this Administration the incredibly sensitive personal information of the tens of millions of people who have applied for or received SNAP in the last 6 years.
$15.64 for a daily food budget? The *maximum* SNAP benefit for a family of 4 is a little over $8 per person per day, and that's only received by the lowest income households who have no other money for groceries.
Brooke Rollins is still at it!
"We had run almost 1,000 simulations, and between $3 and $4 is a fair number if you can have access to that food. I just saw new numbers that were run: a full day, meaning 3 full square meals and a snack, is about $15.64."
"We had run almost 1,000 simulations, and between $3 and $4 is a fair number if you can have access to that food. I just saw new numbers that were run: a full day, meaning 3 full square meals and a snack, is about $15.64."
January 20, 2026 at 5:34 PM
$15.64 for a daily food budget? The *maximum* SNAP benefit for a family of 4 is a little over $8 per person per day, and that's only received by the lowest income households who have no other money for groceries.
300 low-income families in Kansas City just had the SNAP benefits they need to afford groceries stolen via card skimming.
USDA still hasn't issued the regulations Congress required to make EBT cards more secure. And Congress ended replacement benefits, so those families won't get that money back.
USDA still hasn't issued the regulations Congress required to make EBT cards more secure. And Congress ended replacement benefits, so those families won't get that money back.
The department had no additional information on the case as of Monday afternoon.
Someone stole up to $50K in meal assistance from people in KCK, DCF investigating
The department had no additional information on the case as of Monday afternoon.
bit.ly
January 15, 2026 at 5:09 PM
300 low-income families in Kansas City just had the SNAP benefits they need to afford groceries stolen via card skimming.
USDA still hasn't issued the regulations Congress required to make EBT cards more secure. And Congress ended replacement benefits, so those families won't get that money back.
USDA still hasn't issued the regulations Congress required to make EBT cards more secure. And Congress ended replacement benefits, so those families won't get that money back.
Reposted by Katie Bergh
A federal judge has barred USDA from cutting funds to help Minnesota administer its SNAP program.
January 14, 2026 at 11:42 PM
A federal judge has barred USDA from cutting funds to help Minnesota administer its SNAP program.
It's worth remembering that the average SNAP benefit is currently just over $2 per person per meal (setting aside the deep mystery of what the "one other thing" is in this hypothetical $3 taco)
Brooke Rollins: "We've run over 1,000 simulations. It can cost around $3 a meal for a piece of chicken, a piece of broccoli, corn tortilla, and one other thing. So there is a way to do this that actually will save the average American consumer money."
January 14, 2026 at 10:46 PM
It's worth remembering that the average SNAP benefit is currently just over $2 per person per meal (setting aside the deep mystery of what the "one other thing" is in this hypothetical $3 taco)
With food assistance for low-income families at stake, state & local officials are urging Congress for more time.
"Again, we want to comply. We want to do the right thing, and we will. If we had more time, we know we wouldn’t be rushing through this and making more mistakes."
"Again, we want to comply. We want to do the right thing, and we will. If we had more time, we know we wouldn’t be rushing through this and making more mistakes."
Officials on the frontlines of SNAP benefits administration are warning Congress about a little-known legislative provision with a huge impact on state budget. State and county leaders detailed the impacts in a congressional briefing yesterday. Learn more: www.nga.org/advocacy-com...
Local, State Coalition Presses Congress for Urgent SNAP Fix
Officials on the frontlines of SNAP benefits administration across the nation are warning Congress about a little-known legislative provision with a huge impact on state budgets – an impact supercharg...
www.nga.org
January 14, 2026 at 7:29 PM
With food assistance for low-income families at stake, state & local officials are urging Congress for more time.
"Again, we want to comply. We want to do the right thing, and we will. If we had more time, we know we wouldn’t be rushing through this and making more mistakes."
"Again, we want to comply. We want to do the right thing, and we will. If we had more time, we know we wouldn’t be rushing through this and making more mistakes."
Reposted by Katie Bergh
🎯 How much states will be required to pay for SNAP benefits is based on administrative errors identified from October 2024 to September 2026. HR 1 passed in July 2025 and guidance from USDA came months later. Not a lot of time.
The reality: States don't have any time to reduce errors. How much they’ll be required to pay for SNAP benefits is being determined right now. And rushed implementation of other SNAP cuts & the government shutdown are making errors more likely. subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter/2...
January 14, 2026 at 6:18 PM
🎯 How much states will be required to pay for SNAP benefits is based on administrative errors identified from October 2024 to September 2026. HR 1 passed in July 2025 and guidance from USDA came months later. Not a lot of time.
The reality: States don't have any time to reduce errors. How much they’ll be required to pay for SNAP benefits is being determined right now. And rushed implementation of other SNAP cuts & the government shutdown are making errors more likely. subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter/2...
January 14, 2026 at 5:58 PM
The reality: States don't have any time to reduce errors. How much they’ll be required to pay for SNAP benefits is being determined right now. And rushed implementation of other SNAP cuts & the government shutdown are making errors more likely. subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter/2...
Instead of working to lower costs for people struggling to afford groceries, the RSC (after already enacting the deepest SNAP cuts in history) proposes cutting millions more low-income people off SNAP—primarily working families with kids, seniors & people with disabilities.
Moving to groceries—six months after enacting the largest #SNAP cut ever--the RSC is back for more.
They are proposing removing “broad-based categorical eligibility”—cutting millions from SNAP while effectively *raising* taxes on low-income families’ work and savings.
They are proposing removing “broad-based categorical eligibility”—cutting millions from SNAP while effectively *raising* taxes on low-income families’ work and savings.
January 14, 2026 at 3:35 PM
Instead of working to lower costs for people struggling to afford groceries, the RSC (after already enacting the deepest SNAP cuts in history) proposes cutting millions more low-income people off SNAP—primarily working families with kids, seniors & people with disabilities.
USDA's Food and Nutrition Service, the federal agency that oversees programs like SNAP, WIC, and school meals, has apparently lost one-third of its staff in the last year.
A long-awaited update of federal employment data shows crippling staff reductions in some federal agencies and offices:
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
220,000 Fewer Workers: How Trump’s Cuts Affected Every Federal Agency (Gift Article)
New data offers the first clear view of the impact of the buyouts and firings.
www.nytimes.com
January 9, 2026 at 9:45 PM
USDA's Food and Nutrition Service, the federal agency that oversees programs like SNAP, WIC, and school meals, has apparently lost one-third of its staff in the last year.
Reposted by Katie Bergh
The House passed a measure today to extend the Premium Tax Credit enhancements for three years. The bipartisan vote shows there’s strong support for immediate action to make millions of people’s health care more affordable. All eyes are now on the Senate. x.com/JakeSherman/...
January 8, 2026 at 10:45 PM
The House passed a measure today to extend the Premium Tax Credit enhancements for three years. The bipartisan vote shows there’s strong support for immediate action to make millions of people’s health care more affordable. All eyes are now on the Senate. x.com/JakeSherman/...