Statement on the House Budget Reconciliation Bill 

June 2, 2025

Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank is deeply concerned about proposals in the Budget Reconciliation Bill, ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’, that passed in the House of Representatives and is now being taken up by the Senate. The bill would cut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid, and threaten the wellbeing of neighbors who are already working hard to thrive. More than 1.7 million Pennsylvanians, including 1 in 6 children, are experiencing food insecurity and these cuts will take away life-saving food and healthcare from our neighbors who need them the most. 

“Grocery prices are already out of reach for too many of our neighbors facing hunger. With the sustained high cost of food and health care, this is not the time to scale back essential programs that help families stay afloat. Families, seniors, veterans and children in our community work hard every day to build better lives — but they need a strong foundation to succeed. Access to food and health care is that foundation. Now is the time to come together to preserve and strengthen SNAP and Medicaid.” – Food Bank president and CEO Lisa Scales 

House Bill Analysis & Impact 

The cuts proposed to SNAP and Medicaid in the bill represent the largest threats in the history of both programs. If enacted into law it would harm local grocery stores, American farmers, and families facing hunger.  States would be required to shoulder new and increased costs—many, like Pennsylvania, would be unable to manage these expenses without cutting benefits, limiting eligibility, or increasing taxes. 

Unprecedented Cuts to Food Assistance 

• $295 billion in SNAP cuts over 10 years 

• Shifts $150 billion of benefits costs to states
  – PA would owe between $225 million and $1.13 billion annually at current costs

• Increases state share of administrative costs from 50% to 75%
  – PA costs would increase by $125 million per year 

• Restricts benefit adjustments to the Thrifty Food Plan, including:
  – Future SNAP benefits: $35B cut
  – TEFAP: $100M cut
  – Summer EBT (SUN Bucks): $1B cut 

• New and expanded red-tape requirements, including: new paperwork requirements tied to work for seniors up to age 64 and parents with children over 6 – children over 6 years of age are no longer considered dependents for SNAP benefits
  – 400,000 PA children and adults would be at risk of losing SNAP benefits 

• Reduces benefits by $100 per month by changing how utility costs are calculated
  – In PA, 347,000 SNAP households with non-disabled adults under age 60 would lose their “heat and eat” benefit adjustment 

• Bars legally present immigrants who currently qualify for SNAP
  – In PA, over 30,000 refugees and other lawfully present immigrants receive SNAP 

• Eliminates SNAP-Ed, a SNAP nutrition education program 

Harsh Cuts to Health Care 

• Cuts Medicaid by $716 billion over 10 years 

• Congressional Budget Office estimates nearly 14 million Americans will lose health insurance
  – In PA, 320,000 will lose Medicaid coverage and 270,000 will lose ACA marketplace coverage known as Pennie

Missed Opportunity to Reduce Child Poverty by Half 

• Fails to expand Child Tax Credit to lowest income families
  – In PA, over 500,000 low-income children will not receive the full tax credit 

• Eliminates eligibility for children who are US Citizens or legal permanent residents if either parent does not have a social security number 

Impact on Local Economies 

Not only does SNAP help working families, seniors and veterans keep food on the table, it also is an economic engine for our communities. According to the National Grocers Association, SNAP supported more than 19,000 jobs, contributed $958 million in wages and generated over $2.6 billion in economic activity across Pennsylvania in 2024 alone. In rural communities, where grocery stores operate on slim margins and access to fresh food is limited, SNAP helps keep doors open and shelves stocked. When families can spend SNAP benefits at local grocery stores and markets, that money stays in the community. 

Impact on Farmers and Rural Communities 

Rural communities are resilient and resourceful, but they also face real challenges – higher food insecurity and fewer resources, particularly access to food and health care. According to Map the Meal Gap, 85% of counties with the highest food insecurity are rural. Programs like SNAP and Medicaid are powerful tools in these communities – helping parents feed their kids, keeping local hospitals open and supporting local grocers and farmers. When SNAP is cut, farmers lose revenue. Small family-run farms that rely on SNAP sales at farmers markets are often the hardest hit.  

Our Request for Federal Lawmakers 

Food and health go together. You need nutritious food to be healthy. You also need access to doctors and medications. Cutting programs that help people meet these basic needs will lead to a hungrier, sicker America. We need federal lawmakers to protect and strengthen the programs that help people weather tough times and get back on their feet. We urge Congress to reject any proposal that: 

• Cuts funding to SNAP & Medicaid

• Shifts costs to states, which risks creating funding gaps that will lead to further cuts 

• Imposes harmful barriers and red tape that do not help people get back to work

We can’t fight hunger alone. We need the federal government as a partner.

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