This week, we proudly hand-delivered a letter that was signed by 1000+ advocates to members of the Kansas and Missouri congressional delegations in Washington, D.C. Your voice was heard—and it made a difference.
But the work isn’t over. To keep the momentum going, we’ve broken down what’s in the bill and how it could impact SNAP and Medicaid. Together, we can continue to stand up for our communities and protect these essential programs.
What is in the One Big Beautiful Bill?
SNAP Cuts:
Cuts federal SNAP around $300 billion over 10 years through changes in the structure of the program as well as cuts to eligibility and benefit levels. Feeding America estimates this bill could take an average of 9.5 billion meals off the table for SNAP participants every year. The bill includes:
- Shifting more than $150 billion of benefit costs to states by requiring states to pay a portion of SNAP benefits for the first time in program history, abandoning the 50-year national commitment to providing families a SNAP benefit sufficient to afford an adequate diet no matter what state they live in.
- What is the impact? Most states would likely be unable to afford their portion and be forced to drastically cut SNAP food benefits, restrict participation, or both – reducing grocery benefits for working families, seniors, and people with disabilities when food prices are already high, and contributing to worsening hunger.
- Kansas estimates: $101 million annually
- Missouri estimates: $376 million annually
- Loss of SNAP benefits could have negative impacts to local economies. For every $1 in SNAP benefits helps generate an estimated $1.50 in economic activity. The dollars spent go right back into local communities through grocery stores, farmers’ markets and small retailers. According to the National Grocers Association, SNAP supported more than 389,000 jobs, contributed $20 billion in wages and generated over $4.5 billion in federal and state tax revenue in 2024 alone.
- What is the impact? Most states would likely be unable to afford their portion and be forced to drastically cut SNAP food benefits, restrict participation, or both – reducing grocery benefits for working families, seniors, and people with disabilities when food prices are already high, and contributing to worsening hunger.
- The bill restricts future adjustments to the Thrifty Food Plan totaling $36.8 billion in cuts, which would include cuts to SNAP benefits of $35 billion cut, The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) by $100 million, and SUN Bucks/Summer EBT benefits by $1 billion.
- What is the impact? The Thrifty Meal Plan is developed by the USDA to outline the minimal-cost for nutritionally adequate diet for individuals and families. It is used to calculate SNAP. Before 2021, the Thrifty Meal Plan had not been updated for the rising cost of food since 2006. Food prices fluctuate due to inflation, supply chain issues, and global events and limits to update won’t reflect real world grocery costs.
- Expanding the general work requirements in SNAP as well as increasing the number of individuals subject to time limits on their benefits, including, for the first time ever, parents of school-aged children over 6 and older adults aged 55 to 64 by expanding work requirements and restricting waivers resulting in $92.46 billion cut
- What does this mean? An estimated 11 million participants would be at risk of losing some or all of their food assistance. This includes care givers for children over age of 6, ignoring the lack of affordable, accessible childcare, especially in rural or low-income areas. Additionally, seniors and older adults who face discrimination in hiring, chronic health issues, and physical limitations. Finally, it would increase the administrative burden for both the state and the recipients.
- Eliminating the SNAP Nutrition Education program totaling $5.47 billion cut
- What does this mean? The SNAP Nutrition Education program evidence-based initiative designed to help individuals and families eligible for SNAP benefits make healthier food choices and lead active lifestyles within a limited budget. Over 1.8 million Americans each year participate including in person and virtual classes.
Medicaid Cuts:
- The bill makes changes to Medicaid expansion funding, eligibility, and provider taxes that would cut Medicaid by $716 billion over 10 years, the largest cut in the program’s history.
- What does this mean? These cuts would result in at least 7.6 million from health insurance by 2034. For the 40% of all Medicaid recipients also use SNAP, they would face devastating losses in food and health care assistance. Our rural communities would face these impact disproportionately. For people living in rural communities, rural hospitals are essential lifelines. Medicaid helps keep these facilities operating, especially in remote areas where they are often the only providers of emergency care or maternal health services.
- Implements harsh work requirements as a condition of eligibility for individuals aged 19-64 applying for coverage or enrolled through the Affordable Care Act expansion group, requiring them to work or participate in qualifying activities for at least 80 hours per month.
- What does this mean? New red-tape requirements tied to documenting work hours or proving an exemption add unnecessary burdens to neighbors facing hunger and health challenges and are not proven to provide them support to enter or stay in the workforce. Nearly 2 in 3 non-elderly adult Medicaid enrollees currently do paid work, and most of the rest have a disability, care for family members or are attending school.
