Amo Tours RI Food Bank Seeing Need Spike Caused by Republican Shutdown and SNAP Cuts

PROVIDENCE, RI – TODAY, Congressman Gabe Amo (D-RI) toured the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and met with Rhode Islanders harmed by President Donald Trump and Republicans’ shutdown and cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). President Trump and Congressional Republicans’ Big, Ugly Law cut $187 billion in funding from SNAP, stripping millions of Americans of their ability to put food on the table. The massive cuts to SNAP and Trump’s tariffs, which are driving up grocery costs, are being compounded by the Republican government shutdown, which is putting November benefit payments at risk for millions. 

“Trump and Republicans are hellbent on making Americans sicker, poorer, and hungrier,” said Congressman Gabe Amo (D-RI). “Republicans ran on lowering costs, instead their Big, Ugly Law assaults food and health programs on which Americans’ rely. And now, this Republican shutdown is risking Rhode Islanders ability to put food on the table as we head into the holiday season. Thank you to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank for stepping up, I will continue working around the clock to reopen the government, stop the cuts, lower costs, and save health care.”

Background

SNAP is a lifeline for nearly 42 million Americans, helping families put food on the table when times get tough. But, because of the Republican shutdown, states may not be able to send out benefit payments families rely on in November. Republicans’ refusal to come to the table to negotiate a deal to save Americans health care and open the government, may now force millions to go hungry. 

In the Big Ugly Law, Republicans cut $187 billion in funding from SNAP, threatening to kick over 30,000 Rhode Islanders off the program, leaving working families even more vulnerable to Trump and Republicans’ cost of living crisis. The Trump Administration is also forcing states to comply with some of the harshest red tape imposed on SNAP in decades by November 1, making it more difficult for those up to age 65, including veterans, caregivers, and parents, to access benefits.

Lower SNAP benefits and higher prices at the grocery store from Trump’s tariffs are expected to drive more people to rely on local food pantries to feed their families. Thanks to Republicans’ cruelty, approximately 4 million Americans, including 1 million children, will lose some or all of their SNAP benefits.

Congressman Amo, a member of the Budget Committee, introduced amendments to protect SNAP from Republican cuts as they rammed their Big, Ugly Law through Congress. 

Since Trump and Republicans began their efforts to decimate America’s social safety net, Amo has visited food pantries across the First Congressional District, who expect to see a further spike in need as SNAP benefit cuts take effect at a time when Trump’s tariffs have caused grocery prices to jump dramatically.

Amo is fighting to reopen the government and reverse Republican cuts to the services working Rhode Islanders rely on. He recently introduced a bill to ensure states’ that fill the federal funding gap for WIC during a government shutdown get reimbursed and can continue to provide vital nutrition services, whether or not Republicans show up to work.

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