[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 98 (Wednesday, July 10, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1041-E1042]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
MINNESOTA LISTENING SESSION ON THE CUTS TO FOOD ASSISTANCE IN HOUSE GOP
FARM BILL
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HON. BETTY McCOLLUM
of minnesota
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, on June 10, 2013, Congressman Ellison and
I hosted a listening session at the Minnesota State Capitol. We heard
from Minnesotans affected by the House Farm Bill's proposed cuts to the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Below is testimony delivered
by Dale Simonson and Patricia Lull.
Testimony From Dale Simonson, Minnesota Department of Human Services
Here is a brief overview of the demographics of the SNAP
recipients statewide. There are about 554,000 adults and
children on SNAP in approximately 259,700 cases. Children
make up almost 48% of the SNAP population.
There are 77,417 SNAP family cases.
66% of the family cases reported income from work
Average age of adults with children is 35 years
There are 39,671 senior cases on SNAP.
Average age is 70 years
61% had income from Retirement, Survivors Disabilities
Insurance (RSDI)
There are 88,942 disabled cases on SNAP.
There are 62,477 cases that are categorized as ``other''
adults.
[[Page E1042]]
Within this category are able bodied adults without
dependents (ABAWDs)
These people are disconnected from employment compared to
other SNAP participants as 56% have no other reported income
sources than SNAP.
The average benefit per recipient is $118 and per case is
$245.
Race/ethnicity demographics of SNAP cases are 59% white,
24% black, 7% Asian, 4% Hispanic, 4% American Indian with
multiple races comprising the rest.
That is a very brief overview of the SNAP population in MN.
The data being used today comes from the Characteristics of
People and Cases on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
in December 2012 as well as the Family Self-Sufficiency
Report. Both of these reports are available on the DHS public
website.
The biggest impact on SNAP recipients in MN would come from
the proposed restriction in the House bill on the state
ability to use categorical eligibility.
Broad based categorical eligibility is a policy that makes
most households categorically eligible for SNAP because they
qualify for a non-cash TANF funded benefit. This allows
states to raise the income limit up to a maximum of 200%
Federal Poverty Guideline (FPG) and raise or eliminate the
asset limit.
The MN legislature passed a bill effective Nov., 2010
allowing expansion of broad based categorical eligibility to
all SNAP cases by increasing the income standard from 130% to
165% of FPG and eliminating the asset limit.
Sec. 4005 of the House bill would remove this state option.
DHS estimates that 6.4% of the caseload or 16,700 cases
with over 32,000 people would be made ineligible because
their income is above 130% FPG yet below 165% FPG. Of these
cases, over 8,000 are family cases that will be ineligible
due to over income. The children on these cases would no
longer be automatically eligible for free or reduced school
lunch.
DHS no longer collects asset information for SNAP.
Therefore, we do not have data on the number of cases that
would be ineligible due to being over the asset limit.
The House bill provides a permanent reduction in funding
for SNAP-Ed. This proposed cut comes on the heels of the
program's fiscal year 2013 budget cut of 28 percent that was
included in the fiscal cliff agreement, resulting in
decreased program activity.
Minnesota's share of SNAP-Ed has been approximately 2.5% of
the federal allocation.
Minnesota's current allocation for SNAP-Ed is about
$7,000,000 (cut included).
Further cuts will impact the reach and impact that SNAP-Ed
has on Minnesota's population in poverty.
SNAP-Ed is delivered by community nutrition educators from
the University of Minnesota Extension Service and Minnesota
Chippewa Tribe. They use evidence-based, behaviorally-focused
curriculum to help Minnesotans with limited financial
resources stretch food dollars and make healthy choices.
In FY 2012, the U of M Extension offered SNAP-Ed
programming in 84 of 87 counties directly serving
approximately 65,000 persons (unduplicated).
In FY 2012, the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe offered SNAP-Ed
programming on six reservations (Bois Forte, Fond du Lac,
Grand Portage, Leech Lake, Mille Lacs, and White Earth)
directly serving 6,778 persons (unduplicated).
U of M Extension program evaluation outcomes point to
positive SNAP-Ed results. Over half of SNAP-Ed participants
engaged in healthy eating and physical activity behaviors by
the final course session. In addition, participants indicated
an average of greater than 1/3 cup increased intake of both
fruits and vegetables per day over the span of a course.
These are the two major provisions that will have the
greatest impact on low income Minnesotans on SNAP if these
cuts are adopted.
Thank you for your time.
Testimony Submitted by Patricia Lull, Executive Director of the Saint
Paul Area Council of Churches
Thank you for this opportunity to address the difference
that SNAP benefits make in our community.
I serve as Executive Director of the Saint Paul Area
Council of Churches, a non-profit representing 125 local
communities of faith. We come from Christian, Jewish, Muslim,
Unitarian, and Quaker backgrounds but every one of our faith
traditions agrees with this conviction--No more hungry
neighbors!
I am here to say that as a person of faith and a citizen.
No more hungry neighbors! In recent years we have made great
strides in addressing domestic hunger and SNAP has been an
important part of what we have done well as a country. It
serves our most vulnerable neighbors--children, seniors, and
working families. It serves them in a way that supports local
economies (grocery stores and farmers markets) and energizes
our children to succeed in school and in life.
While it is important to balance our federal budget,
cutting SNAP benefits to our most vulnerable neighbors should
be the last option we exercise. The proposed cuts will
negatively impact all of us who work with families in
poverty. Let me illustrate that.
The Saint Paul Area Council of Churches hosts an emergency
food shelf for the American Indian community in Ramsey
County. We provide food to 500 individuals a month--enough
for 6,000 meals. Use of our food shelf has increased by 30%
since last August. More families. More need. More demand on
us to do what all of us as citizens are asked to do--provide
for those who are most at risk.
Some of our food shelf participants are also volunteers. A
couple of months ago, Larry and I worked side-by-side
unloading a delivery from Second Harvest, our food bank.
Larry is a father and grand-father. He is also a hard worker,
carrying in three times as many boxes as I did. When the
truck was unloaded and all the food was put away, I thanked
him for all he had done. Larry looked me squarely in the eye,
pointed to his heart, and said--I do this for the community.
Those who receive SNAP benefits--and those who will be
excluded from benefits if cuts are made--they are our
community, too. On behalf of them I say, No more hungry
neighbors!
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