Federal Policy Priorities

Hunger Solutions New York advocates for federal policies and investments that expand the reach and effectiveness of anti-hunger programs.

We support a comprehensive legislative and administrative policy agenda that advances the following goals:

• Expand eligibility for SNAP, WIC, and other federal nutrition programs.
• Increase the adequacy of food benefits and meal reimbursements.
• Streamline program administration and application processes.
• Expand outreach to potentially eligible nonparticipating individuals and organizations.

We urge New York’s delegation to support the following legislative actions to protect food access:

• Repeal H.R.1’s deeply harmful SNAP cuts, which limit eligibility, expand harsh time limits, add red tape, and reduce benefit amounts. H.R.1 cuts $186B from SNAP over the next ten years, threatening food access for New York’s children, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and working families who need SNAP to afford groceries. Congress must repeal these harmful cuts and instead work to strengthen vital nutrition programs.
• Delay SNAP cost shifts that cut federal funding and place massive financial burdens on states and counties. H.R.1 shifts SNAP costs from the federal government to state and county budgets, jeopardizing other critical state and local investments that help families meet their basic needs. Some states will receive a two-year delay to prepare, but New York is unlikely to qualify. In any Farm Bill or other viable legislative vehicle, New York’s delegation must prioritize expanding the two-year delay to all states, giving New York an equal chance to prepare for the cost shifts while protecting food access.
• Cosponsor the MODERN WIC Act / 21st Century WIC Act (H.R. 1464 / S. 3842). Since 2020, families have been able to access WIC services remotely, a common-sense flexibility that has fueled dramatic and much-needed growth in WIC participation among New York’s children and families—but without Congressional action, that flexibility will expire on September 31, 2026. The MODERN WIC Act creates permanent virtual service options, modernizing WIC and alleviating barriers to this vital public health and nutrition program.
• Cosponsor additional bills that expand the reach and effectiveness of federal nutrition programs. Click here for current marker bills that will help more of your constituents access the food they need.

For our comprehensive federal policy agenda, email info@hungersolutionsny.org

Child nutrition: Learn how child nutrition programs support food security, affordability, and health for children and families in districts across the state.