{"id":19366,"date":"2018-08-04T14:17:26","date_gmt":"2018-08-04T18:17:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/?p=19366"},"modified":"2018-08-06T00:18:30","modified_gmt":"2018-08-06T04:18:30","slug":"support-snap-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/support-snap-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Farm Bill Should Reduce Hunger and Improve Nutrition"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a name=\"top\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: right;\"><\/h4>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left;\">Urge\u00a0Congress to pass a conferenced Farm Bill that will protect and strengthen SNAP<a href=\"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/download.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-18818 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/download.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"265\" height=\"190\" \/><\/a><\/h2>\n<h6>August 4, 2018<\/h6>\n<p>On June 12, the UUSJ Capitol Hill Advocacy Corps will go to the Senate to urge support of SNAP (formerly Food Stamp program). <strong>The Senate Agriculture Committee released its version of the 2018 Farm Bill &#8211; the<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"> <a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.agriculture.senate.gov\/newsroom\/rep\/press\/release\/as-promised-senate-agriculture-committee-leaders-find-common-ground-in-bipartisan-farm-bill\">Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018<\/a><\/span> &#8211; on June 8, 2018.<\/strong>\u00a0Committee mark-up is expected June 13 and a full Senate floor vote by July 4. UU values underline the same principles the UUSJ Advocacy Corps took to House offices in April. (<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/support-snap\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Click here<\/a> <\/strong><\/span>to see the Action Page for the House and for more background information.)<\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;re from <span style=\"color: #c40e23;\"><strong>Kansas<\/strong><\/span>, <span style=\"color: #c40e23;\"><strong>Michigan<\/strong><\/span> or <span style=\"color: #c40e23;\"><strong>North Dakota<\/strong><\/span>, <strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/local-uu-action-to-support-snap\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">click here<\/a><\/span><\/strong> to see the specific things you can do locally, before June 12 and on June 14. Join interfaith advocacy and witness activities in your communities to urge your Senators to use their leadership positions to pass a bi-partisan Farm Bill that will keep hunger at bay for 40 million children, and elderly and disabled adults. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Urge your Senators to support and improve SNAP, and reject proposals that would leave millions hungry.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Contact Your U.S. Senators<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><strong>Call your Senators<\/strong>\u00a0by using the\u00a0U.S. Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ask them to support SNAP <\/strong>(Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)<strong>, our nation&#8217;s most effective anti-hunger program. <\/strong>See sample message below under Action Needed NOW.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Page<\/strong><\/span><strong>\u00a0C<\/strong><strong style=\"font-family: inherit; color: #000000;\">ontents <\/strong><span style=\"font-family: inherit; color: #000000;\">(click on a title to go to that section)<\/span><strong style=\"font-family: inherit; color: #000000;\">:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"#action\">Action Needed NOW: What You Can Do<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"#happening\">Wha<\/a><\/strong><strong><a href=\"#happening\">t You Shou<\/a><\/strong><strong><a href=\"#happening\">ld Know<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"#spiritual\">Our UU Spiritual Grounding<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"#resources\">Resources and Relevant News Media Coverage Links<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a name=\"action-needed\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a name=\"action\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #333399;\"><strong>Action Needed NOW: What You Can Do<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Organize a<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"http:\/\/salsa4.salsalabs.com\/o\/50780\/p\/salsa\/web\/common\/public\/signup?signup_page_KEY=8693\"> <em>Write Here! Write Now!<\/em> <\/a><\/span>letter-writing table in your congregation for letters to be delivered to Capitol Hill offices in Washington, DC on June 12. Scan and email letters to <a href=\"mailto:advocacy@uusj.org\">advocacy@uusj.org<\/a> by Monday, June 11 by noon ET.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"http:\/\/salsa4.salsalabs.com\/o\/50780\/p\/salsa\/web\/common\/public\/signup?signup_page_KEY=8693\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Download the letter-writing toolkit for organizers.<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Senate-WHWN-SNAP-Farm-Bill-handout-as-of-2018-06-08-for-AC-2018-06-12-FINAL.pdf\">Download WHWN two-page handout<\/a> \u00a0(sample message and talking points).<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.frac.org\/maps\/snap-cd\/snap-congress.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>See SNAP participation by Congressional district<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>1 &#8211; Contact your U.S. Senators<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><b>Suggested message by phone or email &#8211; adapt for your personal message:<\/b><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"color: #993366;\"><em>Hi, my name is [your name]. I\u2019m a constituent from [city, state].\u00a0<\/em><\/span><span style=\"color: #993366;\"><em>I am a Unitarian Universalist from [name of congregation and location]. <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #993366;\"><em><em>The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) keeps members of my community [or state] from going hungry. Nationwide, it ensures 40 million children, and elderly and disabled adults are able to buy groceries and have food on their tables and enjoy a decent standard of living.<\/em><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #993366;\"><em>I urge you to support a bipartisan bill that is fair-minded, that strengthens SNAP, and create jobs and boost wages, rather than punish people already dealing with economic hardship. Don\u2019t support any bill that requires additional work requirements that could cause SNAP recipients to lose benefits. Farmers need the certainty that the Farm Bill provides, and hungry Americans need to know they can feed their families. It\u2019s wrong to put people already facing economic hardship at further risk. Please speak out and provide moral leadership on this important issue.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #993366;\"><em>Sincerely,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #993366;\"><em>Your FULL NAME AND ADDRESS<\/em><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><b>U.S. Capitol Switchboard:<\/b>\u00a0(202) 224-3121<\/p>\n<p>To find\u00a0<b>e-mail addresses and other contact information for your members of Congress<\/b><b>,<\/b>\u00a0visit these Congressional websites:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.govtrack.us\/congress\/members\/current\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">GovTrack<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.senate.gov\/general\/contact_information\/senators_cfm.cfm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>U.S.\u00a0<\/strong><b>Senate<\/b><\/a><\/li>\n<li><b><\/b><a style=\"font-family: inherit; background-color: #ffffff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.house.gov\/representatives\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>U.S.\u00a0<\/strong><b>House of Representatives<\/b><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong><span style=\"color: #993300;\">2 \u2013\u00a0Ask your friends and family members to contact their Senators, too.<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Send them the link to this page \u2013<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/2Iu8H0l\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/bit.ly\/2Iu8H0l<\/a>\u00a0We especial need to reach out to the following Agriculture Committee Senators:<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: small;\">John Boozman (Arkansas)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: small;\">David Perdue (Georgia)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Joni Ernst (Iowa)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: small;\">John Roberts (Kansas) &#8211;\u00a0thank for bipartisan leadership; send this\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/local-uu-action-to-support-snap\/\">link<\/a> too with special in district event information\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/local-uu-action-to-support-snap\/\">https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/local-uu-action-to-support-snap\/<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Debbie Stabenow (Michigan) &#8211; thank for bipartisan leadership;\u00a0; send this\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/local-uu-action-to-support-snap\/\">link<\/a> too with special in district event information<a href=\"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/local-uu-action-to-support-snap\/\">\u00a0https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/local-uu-action-to-support-snap\/<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Deb Fischer (Nebraska)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Heidi Heitkamp (North Dakota)\u00a0send this\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/local-uu-action-to-support-snap\/\">link<\/a> too with special in district event information\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/local-uu-action-to-support-snap\/\">https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/local-uu-action-to-support-snap\/<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: small;\">John Hoeven (North Dakota)\u00a0send this\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/local-uu-action-to-support-snap\/\">link<\/a> too with special in district event information\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/local-uu-action-to-support-snap\/\">https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/local-uu-action-to-support-snap\/<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Bob Casey (Pennsylvania)<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>3 \u2013<\/strong><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/span><strong><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Spread the word &#8211; Post messages to social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.).<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Post links to this page \u2013<b>\u00a0<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/2Iu8H0l\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/bit.ly\/2Iu8H0l<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Tweet your Senators \u00a0<\/strong>(click <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/2vJpUw9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a> <\/strong>to find Twitter handles). Here&#8217;s a sample Tweet:<\/p>\n<p>.<u>@(Senator&#8217;s Twitter Handle)<\/u>\u00a0\u00a0Protect and strengthen #SNAP \u2014 no cuts or structural changes. #SNAPtoEndHunger #SNAPMatters #foodstamps #foodsecurity #farmbill\u00a0https:\/\/bit.ly\/2Iu8H0l<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#top\">Go to the Top<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a name=\"happening\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #333399;\"><b>What You Should Know<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-18819 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/images.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"224\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/images.png 225w, https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/images-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>For more information, see the <a href=\"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/?p=18867\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>UUSJ sample message to members of Congress and talking points<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Click <a href=\"http:\/\/www.frac.org\/maps\/snap-cd\/snap-congress.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HERE<\/a> to see SNAP participation by Congressional district.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SNAP, part of the Farm Bill, accounts for 80 percent of farm bill spending. The Farm Bill is renewed every five years and is up for reauthorization by Sept. 30. It includes food and agriculture programs such as crop insurance, subsidies and rural development. This year the Farm Bill is seen by fiscal conservatives as a way to impose their welfare reform agenda\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cut spe<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">nding on this popular program by\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">adding stricter work requirements, time limits, and administrative burdens.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Historically, Farm Bills have been reauthorized with bipartisan support, thanks to the urban-rural coalition of lawmakers and advocates who support both SNAP and agriculture programs. Ho<\/span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-18817 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/2-20-18snap_f19-420x432.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"257\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/2-20-18snap_f19-420x432.png 420w, https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/2-20-18snap_f19.png 580w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">wever, the H<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ous<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">e Agriculture Committee Chairman has decided to pursue a partisan Farm Bill (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.govtrack.us\/congress\/bills\/115\/hr2\/text\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (H.R. 2)<\/a>)\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">by proposing new limits and requirements, threatening the likelihood of passage. The Senate has signaled that it would not consider major changes to SNAP. The House bill erodes the effectiveness of SNAP and\u00a0<\/span>would lead to greater hunger and poverty among all types of beneficiary families, including the working poor, as well as reduced economic growth and productivity in communities across the country.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Under this bill, large numbers of working families with children would no longer receive SNAP, there would be a much harsher \u201ccliff effect\u201d in the program, and, in turn, children would be denied access to other essential anti-hunger programs, such as school breakfast and lunch, putting their health and learning at risk.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Many low-income households, including those that receive SNAP, are often forced to choose between paying heating bills or buying food. The bill slashes the amount of benefits for SNAP households struggling to pay for both utilities and food \u2014 to \u201cheat and eat.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>The bill also seeks to expand dramatically the number of people subject to harsh SNAP eligibility cutoffs by adding unemployed and underemployed parents with older children and adults up to age 60. Currently, time limits apply to able-bodied adults age 18\u201350 without dependents, many of whom are between jobs or do not have steady enough work to meet the 20-hour per week minimum, often for reasons outside of their control. Others face significant barriers to work, such as lack of job opportunities and lack of transportation to get to the few av<\/em><em>ailable jobs.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h6 style=\"text-align: right;\">source: Food Research Action Council<\/h6>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The House and Senate will work on their own versions (which are written by the respective Agriculture Committees), should reconcile their differences and pass one identical version. If that fails, they will be pressed to agree on an extension of the bill that was passed in 2014.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#top\">Go to the Top<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a name=\"spiritual\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #333399;\"><b>Our U<\/b><\/span><span style=\"color: #333399;\"><b>U Spiritual Grounding<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UUs have passed two Statements of Conscience, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uua.org\/action\/statements\/ethical-eating-food-environmental-justice\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ethical Eating: Food &amp; Environmental Justice<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2011) and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uua.org\/action\/statements\/escalating-economic-inequity\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Escalating Economic Inequity<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2017) that are directly relevant to this issue with calls to support the reduction of hunger.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>In a February 4, 2018 sermon,\u00a0\u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/uucss.org\/sermons\/sunday-04-february-2018\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">All Are Invited to the Table<\/a>,\u201d Rev. Preston Mears, a member of the <a href=\"http:\/\/uucss.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Unitarian Universalist Church of Silver Spring<\/a>, spoke to\u00a0the seventh Unitarian Universalist principle and our role in the interdependent web of\u00a0life. &#8220;We all have the need to come together, to eat and be nourished: It is a moral\u00a0imperative that each and every person has a place at the table\u2014no one is too high or\u00a0too low, too young or too old, too rich or too poor or too different.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Rev. Mears, who worked on the federal Food Stamp Program (now called SNAP) from 1974 to 1984 as a welfare office supervisor with the New Hampshire Department of Welfare, spoke from personal and professional experience, about the importance of the food stamp program, now the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), in supporting people in need. He speaks to UUs, saying,<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>We are not defined by how much materially we have or don\u2019t have\u00a0but we sometimes hesitate to use words that might be interpreted as narrow or\u00a0religiously bigoted. Find your words and give voice with them. Listen carefully to the\u00a0words that are used that seemingly justify treating the DACA young people as \u201cother\u201d\u00a0or people who are hungry as other. And, listen to your own voice and share it. Our\u00a0society, \u201cwe the people,\u201d need your voice.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Additional UU resources &#8211;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uua.org\/worship\/words\/sermon\/bringing-home-bacon\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bringing Home the Bacon<\/a>, sermon by Michael Tino<\/li>\n<li>First UU Congregation of Ann Arbor &#8211; <a href=\"http:\/\/uuaa.org\/social-justice\/faith-in-action\/locavores-a-mindful-eating\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mindful Eating Team<\/a>\n<ul>\n<li>sponsored a <a href=\"https:\/\/washtenawfoodpolicycouncil.wordpress.com\/2017\/11\/07\/understanding-snap-a-conversation-about-nutrition-assistance-why-it-matters-and-how-we-can-help\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SNAP panel discussion<\/a> (Nov. 7, 2017)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#top\">Go to the Top<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a name=\"resources\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #333399;\"><b>Resources and Relevant News Media Coverage Links<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\"><\/li>\n<li>Bloomberg &#8211; <a href=\"http:\/\/Trump\u2019s Food Stamp Work Rules Aren\u2019t in Senate Farm Bill\">Trump\u2019s Food Stamp Work Rules Aren\u2019t in Senate Farm Bill<\/a> &#8211; 6\/8 12:57pm ET<\/li>\n<li>Washington Post &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/news\/wonk\/wp\/2018\/04\/12\/gop-proposes-stricter-work-requirements-for-food-stamp-recipients-a-step-toward-a-major-overhaul-of-the-social-safety-net\/?noredirect=on&amp;utm_term=.9d11dfdf5c93\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">GOP proposes stricter work requirements for food stamp recipients, a step toward a major overhaul of the social safety net<\/a>\u00a0&#8211; 4\/12<\/li>\n<li>Friends Committee on National Legislation &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fcnl.org\/updates\/house-farm-bill-could-push-millions-of-people-off-snap-exacerbating-hunger-in-the-u-s-1372\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">House Farm Bill Could Push Millions of People Off SNAP, Exacerbating Hunger in the U.S.<\/a> &#8211; 4\/13<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbpp.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Center on Budget and Policy Priorities<\/a>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbpp.org\/press\/statements\/greenstein-conaway-snap-proposals-would-increase-food-insecurity-and-hardship\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Conaway SNAP Proposals Would Increase Food Insecurity and Hardship<\/a>\u00a0&#8211; 4\/12<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thisissnap.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">This is SNAP<\/a>\u00a0&#8211; success, who it helps, future outlook<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbpp.org\/research\/policy-basics-introduction-to-the-supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What is SNAP? Policy basics<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbpp.org\/research\/food-assistance\/chart-book-snap-helps-struggling-families-put-food-on-the-table\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Chart Book: SNAP Helps Struggling Families Put Food on the Table<\/a>\u00a0(downloadable PDF<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/3-13-12fa-chartbook.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> here<\/a><\/strong>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/story\/2018\/01\/22\/bipartisan-nutrition-group-kicks-off-in-house-354850\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Congressional Food is Medicine Working Group<\/a>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/RepJimMcGovern\/videos\/1551761298211735\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">January 17, 2018 briefing<\/a> (video)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.feedingamerica.org\/take-action\/advocate\/federal-hunger-relief-programs\/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Feeding America<\/a>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/hungerandhealth.feedingamerica.org\/explore-our-work\/programs-target-populations\/snap-eligible-households\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SNAP-eligible households<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Food Research Action Center\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.frac.org\/news\/not-broken-fix-draft-farm-bill-puts-unnecessary-burdens-low-income-people\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">If It\u2019s Not Broken, Why Fix It? Draft Farm Bill Puts Unnecessary Burdens on Low-Income People<\/a> &#8211; 4\/12<\/li>\n<li><a style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\" href=\"http:\/\/frac.org\/research\/mapping-tools\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Interactive mapping<\/a> &#8211; SNAP by State, Congressional District, community<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Politico\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/story\/2018\/03\/28\/food-stamp-fight-kill-farm-bill-446477\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The food stamp fight that could kill the farm bill<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/story\/2018\/04\/12\/house-farm-bill-food-stamps-519161\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">House debuts farm bill calling for big changes to food stamps<\/a> &#8211; 4\/12<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#top\">Go to the Top<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Urge\u00a0Congress to pass a conferenced Farm Bill that will protect and strengthen SNAP August 4, 2018 On June 12, the UUSJ Capitol Hill Advocacy Corps will go to the Senate to urge support of SNAP (formerly Food Stamp program). The Senate Agriculture Committee released its version of the 2018 Farm Bill &#8211; the Agriculture Improvement &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/support-snap-2\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Farm Bill Should Reduce Hunger and Improve Nutrition<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[97,29,11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19366","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-advocacy","category-economic-justice","category-health"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19366","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19366"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19366\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19374,"href":"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19366\/revisions\/19374"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19366"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19366"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uusj.net\/wp1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19366"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}