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.
“Most egregious has been the Administration’s relentless effort to keep people from getting help affording food, leaving millions of people to go hungry for perceived political gain, even as the Administration admitted in court they had the resources and authority to provide assistance.”
@sharonparrott.bsky.social lifts up 2 key issues that remain unaddressed as the Senate considers bills to end the shutdown: the looming spike in health care costs for 20M ppl & the need for guardrails to stop the President from undoing parts of bipartisan funding laws www.cbpp.org/press/statem...
Beyond the Shutdown: Country Needs Congress and President to Address Health Care Cost Spikes and Rule of Law
Two fundamental issues remain unaddressed, and Congress needs to tackle them without delay.
www.cbpp.org
November 11, 2025 at 1:44 AM
“Most egregious has been the Administration’s relentless effort to keep people from getting help affording food, leaving millions of people to go hungry for perceived political gain, even as the Administration admitted in court they had the resources and authority to provide assistance.”
After the chaos of constantly shifting USDA guidance over the last week, a quick SNAP recap:
Some households received their full benefits.
Some got partial benefits.
Some got *different* partial benefits because USDA initially did the math wrong.
Many have still received nothing.
Some households received their full benefits.
Some got partial benefits.
Some got *different* partial benefits because USDA initially did the math wrong.
Many have still received nothing.
November 10, 2025 at 7:52 PM
After the chaos of constantly shifting USDA guidance over the last week, a quick SNAP recap:
Some households received their full benefits.
Some got partial benefits.
Some got *different* partial benefits because USDA initially did the math wrong.
Many have still received nothing.
Some households received their full benefits.
Some got partial benefits.
Some got *different* partial benefits because USDA initially did the math wrong.
Many have still received nothing.
Reposted by Katie Bergh
I asked Georgetown law prof David Super wtf is going on with this latest demand for states to claw back benefits already sent out.
He says the law doesn't allow for this, and if the USDA is mad that states already sent out SNAP money, too bad—they were following USDA's own guidance. Full comments:
He says the law doesn't allow for this, and if the USDA is mad that states already sent out SNAP money, too bad—they were following USDA's own guidance. Full comments:
November 9, 2025 at 4:19 PM
I asked Georgetown law prof David Super wtf is going on with this latest demand for states to claw back benefits already sent out.
He says the law doesn't allow for this, and if the USDA is mad that states already sent out SNAP money, too bad—they were following USDA's own guidance. Full comments:
He says the law doesn't allow for this, and if the USDA is mad that states already sent out SNAP money, too bad—they were following USDA's own guidance. Full comments:
Reposted by Katie Bergh
Update: USDA revised their #SNAP contingency fund plan to provide households with a larger share of their November benefits. This is an important but inadequate step. Families need their full benefits to afford groceries & the Administration has the authority to provide them.
New data: CBPP analyzed USDA’s contingency fund spending plan & found it is only going to release 2/3 of the funding they committed to in court filings, cutting families’ SNAP benefits far more than necessary, violating USDA’s own regulations & shortchanging millions of families.
November 6, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Update: USDA revised their #SNAP contingency fund plan to provide households with a larger share of their November benefits. This is an important but inadequate step. Families need their full benefits to afford groceries & the Administration has the authority to provide them.
Reposted by Katie Bergh
Low-income families will see even deeper #SNAP cuts because the Administration plans to release only two-thirds of the funds it says are available, shortchanging millions who rely on benefits to afford food. More from @katiebergh.bsky.social: www.cbpp.org/blog/adminis...
Administration Won’t Spend All SNAP Funds It Says Are Available, Leading to Deep Benefit Cuts for Low-Income Households
The Trump Administration is only planning to release two-thirds of the SNAP funding it committed to spend to partially cover November benefits, cutting families’ benefits far more than necessary and s...
www.cbpp.org
November 5, 2025 at 10:24 PM
Low-income families will see even deeper #SNAP cuts because the Administration plans to release only two-thirds of the funds it says are available, shortchanging millions who rely on benefits to afford food. More from @katiebergh.bsky.social: www.cbpp.org/blog/adminis...
If SNAP math is hurting your brain today, this is shows why USDA's 50% cut to maximum SNAP benefits translates into a much deeper cut to average benefits.
Only households receiving the maximum benefit will see a 50% cut under USDA's plan – and everyone else gets cut more deeply.
Only households receiving the maximum benefit will see a 50% cut under USDA's plan – and everyone else gets cut more deeply.
So the range of outcomes is
- 50 percent of benefits
- less than 50 percent of benefits
- no benefits at all
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/05/u...
- 50 percent of benefits
- less than 50 percent of benefits
- no benefits at all
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/05/u...
Some SNAP Recipients May Not Receive Food Stamps Under White House Policy
www.nytimes.com
November 5, 2025 at 7:06 PM
If SNAP math is hurting your brain today, this is shows why USDA's 50% cut to maximum SNAP benefits translates into a much deeper cut to average benefits.
Only households receiving the maximum benefit will see a 50% cut under USDA's plan – and everyone else gets cut more deeply.
Only households receiving the maximum benefit will see a 50% cut under USDA's plan – and everyone else gets cut more deeply.
Reposted by Katie Bergh
NEW: Millions of poor Americans could see $0 in SNAP benefits even after the Trump admin agreed to resume partial benefits in response to a court order. This is because of the way the government has interpreted the directive, which could also delay aid for weeks. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/05/u...
Some SNAP Recipients May Not Receive Food Stamps Under White House Policy
www.nytimes.com
November 5, 2025 at 4:27 PM
NEW: Millions of poor Americans could see $0 in SNAP benefits even after the Trump admin agreed to resume partial benefits in response to a court order. This is because of the way the government has interpreted the directive, which could also delay aid for weeks. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/05/u...
Reposted by Katie Bergh
Remember the lesson to watch what people DO rather than what they SAY?
The Trump Admin has promised to help people afford basic needs like food, health care & housing but they are DOING the exact opposite.
No family needed to miss November SNAP benefits. USDA can fix this.
The Trump Admin has promised to help people afford basic needs like food, health care & housing but they are DOING the exact opposite.
No family needed to miss November SNAP benefits. USDA can fix this.
Why does a 50% cut to maximum SNAP benefits = a ~60% cut in average benefits?
A household's SNAP benefit = Maximum benefit - 30% of net income
Most SNAP households have some income & get less than the maximum. A 50% cut to the maximum is a much greater % cut to their benefits.
A household's SNAP benefit = Maximum benefit - 30% of net income
Most SNAP households have some income & get less than the maximum. A 50% cut to the maximum is a much greater % cut to their benefits.
We estimate that USDA’s plan will result in a roughly 60% cut in average benefits. Because of how the SNAP benefit calculation works, USDA's plan to cut maximum benefits for each household size by 50% results in a deeper cut to average benefits—and a much deeper cut than needed.
November 5, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Remember the lesson to watch what people DO rather than what they SAY?
The Trump Admin has promised to help people afford basic needs like food, health care & housing but they are DOING the exact opposite.
No family needed to miss November SNAP benefits. USDA can fix this.
The Trump Admin has promised to help people afford basic needs like food, health care & housing but they are DOING the exact opposite.
No family needed to miss November SNAP benefits. USDA can fix this.
Why does a 50% cut to maximum SNAP benefits = a ~60% cut in average benefits?
A household's SNAP benefit = Maximum benefit - 30% of net income
Most SNAP households have some income & get less than the maximum. A 50% cut to the maximum is a much greater % cut to their benefits.
A household's SNAP benefit = Maximum benefit - 30% of net income
Most SNAP households have some income & get less than the maximum. A 50% cut to the maximum is a much greater % cut to their benefits.
We estimate that USDA’s plan will result in a roughly 60% cut in average benefits. Because of how the SNAP benefit calculation works, USDA's plan to cut maximum benefits for each household size by 50% results in a deeper cut to average benefits—and a much deeper cut than needed.
November 5, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Why does a 50% cut to maximum SNAP benefits = a ~60% cut in average benefits?
A household's SNAP benefit = Maximum benefit - 30% of net income
Most SNAP households have some income & get less than the maximum. A 50% cut to the maximum is a much greater % cut to their benefits.
A household's SNAP benefit = Maximum benefit - 30% of net income
Most SNAP households have some income & get less than the maximum. A 50% cut to the maximum is a much greater % cut to their benefits.
New data: CBPP analyzed USDA’s contingency fund spending plan & found it is only going to release 2/3 of the funding they committed to in court filings, cutting families’ SNAP benefits far more than necessary, violating USDA’s own regulations & shortchanging millions of families.
November 5, 2025 at 4:40 PM
New data: CBPP analyzed USDA’s contingency fund spending plan & found it is only going to release 2/3 of the funding they committed to in court filings, cutting families’ SNAP benefits far more than necessary, violating USDA’s own regulations & shortchanging millions of families.
Sensing a theme in megabill implementation: The Trump Administration is once again putting even more people at risk of losing SNAP benefits unnecessarily & setting states up to fail by issuing unclear guidance with unrealistic implementation timelines.
Last Friday, the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) finally provided states guidance on how to implement the harsh, anti-immigrant restrictions to food assistance in the harmful Republican megabill.
fns-prod.azureedge.us
November 4, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Sensing a theme in megabill implementation: The Trump Administration is once again putting even more people at risk of losing SNAP benefits unnecessarily & setting states up to fail by issuing unclear guidance with unrealistic implementation timelines.
Let's be clear: Any delays as states work to implement partial benefits will be because the Administration has deliberately chosen not to transfer the funds needed for full benefits—which the courts affirmed they have the authority to do.
The Trump administration's plan to partially fund SNAP benefits won't happen quickly. Here's what to know.
Why November SNAP benefits may not be available for several weeks or months
The USDA says that state systems which distribute benefits are different, which could cause delays.
www.axios.com
November 3, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Let's be clear: Any delays as states work to implement partial benefits will be because the Administration has deliberately chosen not to transfer the funds needed for full benefits—which the courts affirmed they have the authority to do.
Doing the bare minimum because a court order forced their hand? That's not enough.
The Administration could & should use their legal transfer authority so low-income families receive full SNAP benefits for November—and full benefits could get to those families more quickly.⤵️
The Administration could & should use their legal transfer authority so low-income families receive full SNAP benefits for November—and full benefits could get to those families more quickly.⤵️
It is a relief that the Administration is finally agreeing to do the bare minimum and follow the law by using the #SNAP contingency reserve to partially fund November SNAP benefits & nutrition assistance in Puerto Rico & American Samoa.
November 3, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Doing the bare minimum because a court order forced their hand? That's not enough.
The Administration could & should use their legal transfer authority so low-income families receive full SNAP benefits for November—and full benefits could get to those families more quickly.⤵️
The Administration could & should use their legal transfer authority so low-income families receive full SNAP benefits for November—and full benefits could get to those families more quickly.⤵️
Reposted by Katie Bergh
The administration just told a court it's refusing do the same thing to ensure full SNAP benefits go out www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
November 3, 2025 at 6:20 PM
The administration just told a court it's refusing do the same thing to ensure full SNAP benefits go out www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
"Still, the saga has laid bare the shutdown strategy at the White House, where Mr. Trump has been willing to shield only some Americans from the harms of a fiscal standoff that he has made no effort to resolve."
NEW: Almost six weeks in, Trump's shutdown strategy is clear: He's willing to stretch the budget, but only for political gain and retribution. For others, like the 42 million on food stamps, he has offered no relief, and sought to enact cuts Congress did not approve
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/02/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/02/u...
Food Stamp Cuts Expose Trump’s Strategy to Use Shutdown to Advance Agenda
www.nytimes.com
November 3, 2025 at 3:53 PM
"Still, the saga has laid bare the shutdown strategy at the White House, where Mr. Trump has been willing to shield only some Americans from the harms of a fiscal standoff that he has made no effort to resolve."
"Legal impediments?" Not one but two federal judges have now clarified that the Administration can use those contingency funds for November SNAP benefits—and in fact the law *requires* them to do so.
Mike Johnson lies shamelessly: "The president is desperate for SNAP benefits to flow to the American citizens who desperately rely on it ... the SNAP situation has legal impediments."
November 3, 2025 at 3:50 PM
"Legal impediments?" Not one but two federal judges have now clarified that the Administration can use those contingency funds for November SNAP benefits—and in fact the law *requires* them to do so.
“The administration could have, and should have, taken steps weeks ago to be ready to use these funds. To further delay will rip away vital food assistance from millions of low-income families right before the holidays.”
Opinion | The truth about who suffers from the White House’s manufactured SNAP crisis
To appreciate the seriousness of the situation, we need to understand whom SNAP helps and how.
www.msnbc.com
November 1, 2025 at 7:37 PM
“The administration could have, and should have, taken steps weeks ago to be ready to use these funds. To further delay will rip away vital food assistance from millions of low-income families right before the holidays.”
As I was saying:
The Trump Administration’s assertion that it can't use SNAP’s contingency reserves for SNAP benefits is contrary to:
▪️The plain language of the law
▪️Their own (now deleted) shutdown plan
▪️Guidance from prior Administrations
We have the receipts:
▪️The plain language of the law
▪️Their own (now deleted) shutdown plan
▪️Guidance from prior Administrations
We have the receipts:
SNAP’s Contingency Reserve Is Available for Regular SNAP Benefits, as USDA and OMB Have Ruled in Past
The Administration must use all available options to fund November benefits for the 1 in 8 people in the U.S. who need SNAP to afford their grocery bill.
www.cbpp.org
October 31, 2025 at 8:27 PM
As I was saying:
Reposted by Katie Bergh
Reminder: This is happening at the same time some of the biggest cuts from the Republican megabill are also taking effect, meaning millions of people will soon lose SNAP benefits on a permanent basis. www.cbpp.org/research/foo...
By the Numbers: Harmful Republican Megabill Takes Food Assistance Away From Millions of People
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
October 31, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Reminder: This is happening at the same time some of the biggest cuts from the Republican megabill are also taking effect, meaning millions of people will soon lose SNAP benefits on a permanent basis. www.cbpp.org/research/foo...
Reposted by Katie Bergh
Any appeal of the decision or further delay would just underscore that the Administration is choosing to rip away vital food assistance from millions of low-income families right before the holidays. x.com/sarahnferris...
Sarah Ferris on X: "USDA Sec Rollins will not commit to releasing SNAP funds if ordered to do so by Boston judge overseeing case @elliskkim asks if she will agree to release funds if ordered to do so by Boston judge. Rollins: “We're looking at all the options.”" / X
USDA Sec Rollins will not commit to releasing SNAP funds if ordered to do so by Boston judge overseeing case @elliskkim asks if she will agree to release funds if ordered to do so by Boston judge. Rollins: “We're looking at all the options.”
x.com
October 31, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Any appeal of the decision or further delay would just underscore that the Administration is choosing to rip away vital food assistance from millions of low-income families right before the holidays. x.com/sarahnferris...
Reposted by Katie Bergh
The Administration could have, and should have, taken steps weeks ago to be ready to use these funds. Instead, it chose to unlawfully hold them up in an effort to gain political advantage. www.cbpp.org/press/statem...
Trump Administration Is Legally Required to Provide SNAP in Shutdown, Contrary to Its Claims
Secretary Rollins’ claim that the Trump Administration is unable to deliver November SNAP benefits during a shutdown is unequivocally false. The Administration is legally required to use contingency r...
www.cbpp.org
October 31, 2025 at 8:12 PM
The Administration could have, and should have, taken steps weeks ago to be ready to use these funds. Instead, it chose to unlawfully hold them up in an effort to gain political advantage. www.cbpp.org/press/statem...
Reposted by Katie Bergh
Families cannot afford further delays. The Administration must immediately release the contingency reserves and use their legal authority to transfer additional funds so families can get the full benefits they need to buy food as quickly as possible.
October 31, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Families cannot afford further delays. The Administration must immediately release the contingency reserves and use their legal authority to transfer additional funds so families can get the full benefits they need to buy food as quickly as possible.
Reposted by Katie Bergh
Today’s rulings confirm what’s been clear all along: the Administration has been sitting on billions of available dollars that it is legally required to use to fund November benefits for the 1 in 8 Americans who need SNAP to afford their groceries.
October 31, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Today’s rulings confirm what’s been clear all along: the Administration has been sitting on billions of available dollars that it is legally required to use to fund November benefits for the 1 in 8 Americans who need SNAP to afford their groceries.
Reposted by Katie Bergh
If SNAP benefits don’t go out November 1, it’s not because of the shutdown or because SNAP ran out of money.
It’s because the Trump admin is illegally refusing to use the money in the SNAP contingency fund.
The same admin that enacted the largest cuts to SNAP in history.
It’s because the Trump admin is illegally refusing to use the money in the SNAP contingency fund.
The same admin that enacted the largest cuts to SNAP in history.
October 29, 2025 at 3:08 PM
If SNAP benefits don’t go out November 1, it’s not because of the shutdown or because SNAP ran out of money.
It’s because the Trump admin is illegally refusing to use the money in the SNAP contingency fund.
The same admin that enacted the largest cuts to SNAP in history.
It’s because the Trump admin is illegally refusing to use the money in the SNAP contingency fund.
The same admin that enacted the largest cuts to SNAP in history.