Warren seeks to restore SNAP funding as food costs rise

Sen. Elizabeth Warren is pressing Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to work with Congress on reversing reductions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. In her Oct. 21 letter, the Massachusetts Democrat said rising grocery prices and lower SNAP participation have added $22 billion to households’ food burden. Her office calculated more than $17.2 billion from grocery inflation and over $5.1 billion from benefits no longer reaching households.

Warren said 5.2 million people have stopped receiving SNAP assistance since July 2025. Participation is already at its lowest point since 2019, and anti-hunger experts expect further declines as more provisions take effect. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed by President Trump in 2025, broadened work rules and transferred a larger share of program expenses to states. Advocates are seeking delays to some changes, including an October 2027 requirement that states with high payment error rates cover billions in added costs.

The pressure is greatest among families with fewer resources and children. A May Federal Reserve Bank of New York analysis found that 10% of U.S. families lacked sufficient food and sometimes had children miss meals, compared with 4% in 2020. Nearly 20% of families earning under $50,000 annually reported insufficient food, versus roughly 7% six years earlier. For Spokane households receiving food assistance, reduced benefits alongside higher grocery prices can leave less money available for meals. Changing SNAP policy would require Congress to approve new rules, though the Agriculture Department has some discretion over administration.