Food stamp benefits were cut to more than 47 million Americans beginning Friday as the temporary boost to the Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program (known as SNAP) expired without a new budget from Congress to replace it, USA Today reported.
SNAP had benefited one in seven Americans - administered by the Department of Agriculture,, news reports said.
"(They) will take away more food in our city than we, Food Bank for New York City, the nation's largest food bank, distribute in an entire year," said Margarette Purvis, the President and CEO of the Food Bank, according to an article in The New York Daily News.
Negotiations on a new bill, including the cuts to the SNAP program, began Wednesday. The bill just a few months ago passed by the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, in which they effectively cut $39 billion from the program over the next decade.
"It would also end government waves that have allowed able-bodied adults without dependents to receive food stamps indefinitely and allow states to put broad new work requirements in place. The Senate farm bill would cut a tenth of the House amount, with Democrats and President Barack Obama opposing major cuts," news reports said.
"Charities cannot fill the gap for the cuts being proposed to SNAP," said Maura Daly of Feeding America, a network of the nation's food banks. "We are very concerned about the impact on the charitable system."
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