STATEMENTOFNATIONALANTI‐HUNGER ORGANIZATIONS(NAHO) RegardingtheFY2016BudgetResolutions Asnationalorganizationscommittedtoendinghungerandreducingpovertyin thiscountry,wewritetounequivocallyopposebudgetproposalsthatwillhave theeffectofincreasinghungerandhardshipformillionsofAmericans. Whilewefocusinthisletterspecificallyonwhyproposalstocutandstructurally weakentheSupplementalNutritionAssistanceProgram(SNAP)aresoill‐ considered,wealsoopposeproposalsthatwillincreasepoverty,hunger,illhealth andotherhardshipforlow‐incomepeoplethroughcutstootherprogramsthat providecriticalsupportandservicestolowincomeindividuals.Harming programslikeMedicaid,low‐incometaxcredits,childcareandothernutrition programswillalsoincreasehunger. ThedraconiancutsandstructuralchangesbeingproposedforSNAPwould devastateoneofournation’smostsuccessfulandimportantdomesticprograms. AstheCongressionalBudgetOfficeanalysisreleasedonMarch16thestablishes, thesetypesofcutstoSNAParelikelytofocusharmonAmerica’slow‐income households.Millionsofseniors,peoplewithdisabilities,children,veterans,low‐ wageworkers,andpeopleseekingjobswilllikelybeharmediftheprogramis weakened.  SNAP:reduceshungerandfoodinsecurity;supportsthenation’sfarms andregularcommercialfoodoutlets;isafastandeffectiveresponseto localornationaleconomicdownturnsandtonaturaldisasters;reduces povertyandliftsfamiliesoutofdeeppoverty;andkeepsthenetworkof foodbanksandotheremergencyfoodprovidersfrombeingtotally overwhelmed.  SNAPiswell‐targeted:92percentofbenefitsgotohouseholdswith incomesbelowthepovertyline;andoverone‐quarter(29%)of participantsareinhouseholdsthatincludeseniorcitizensorpeoplewith disabilities;overtwo‐thirds(70%)areinfamilieswithchildren.Among SNAPhouseholdswithaworking‐ageadultwhoisn’tdisabled,morethan 80percentworkwhilereceivingSNAPorintheyearbeforeoraftera typicalmonthreceivingSNAP.ReceiptofSNAPinearlychildhood improveshighschoolgraduationrates,adultearningsandadulthealth. ProposalstoharmSNAPanditsrecipientsareinconsistentwithAmerica’svalues andwithpublicopinion.Effortstoaddresslong‐termfiscalissuesmustbedone withoutcompromisingthesocialsafetynet,increasinghungerorworsening poverty.Everymajorbipartisanbudgetcommission(e.g.,Simpson‐Bowles, Domenici‐Rivlin,GangofSix)hasrecommendedthattheprogramnotbeatarget forbudgetcuts. Weurgeyoutorejectabudgetresolutionframeworkthatweakenslow‐income programslikeSNAP.