US Senate blocks proposed SNAP cuts in Houses’ “One Big, Beautiful Bill”

The US Senate has provided a partial moment of relief to those worried that federal tax cuts would come at the cost of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The Republicans’ “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act,” which proposes Medicaid and SNAP cuts, has run up against the Senate’s Byrd Rule, which blocks some provisions not directly tied to federal spending or revenue from passing unless 60 senators agree to waive it. 

However, reports say this is unlikely, as Republicans hold 53 seats.

“The Senate Parliamentarian has begun providing guidance that certain provisions in the Republicans’ ‘One Big, Beautiful Betrayal’ will be subject to the Byrd Rule — ultimately meaning they will need to be stripped from the bill or altered to comply with the rules of reconciliation,” says ranking member Jeff Merkley.

Food Research & Action Center’s president, Crystal FitzSimons, says he is relieved that two of the many harmful SNAP provisions in the budget reconciliation bill have been rejected. These include “pushing benefit costs to states and restricting eligible immigrants from participating in the program.”

“This is a step in the right direction, but the bill is still downright devastating. The Senate must put people over politics and vote ‘No’ on any bill that would slash billions of dollars from SNAP and take food away from millions of children, older adults, and veterans. As we approach America’s birthday, the Senate must focus on building a strong nation free from hunger.”

How much will be blocked?

The bill seeks to give about US$4.5 trillion in tax cuts, and to help pay for it, proposes cutting spending on programs like Medicaid, health care, and food assistance. SNAP is fully federally funded and provides benefits to 40 million low-income people for groceries.

The Senate’s Byrd Rule is blocking major SNAP cut provisions in the “One Big, Beautiful Bill.”In May, the contested House version of the bill sought to slash US$290 billion from SNAP over ten years. Although the Senate has blocked the plan to shift US$128 billion in SNAP costs to states, it is uncertain whether the remaining SNAP-related provisions will similarly come up against Byrd Rule blocks or amendments.

New research by the Commonwealth Fund finds that by 2029, cuts to Medicaid and SNAP would cause the US GDP to fall by US$154 billion. This is 18% more than the US$131 billion that the One Big Beautiful Bill claims it would save the federal government. Also, the Commonwealth Fund expects 1.22 million jobs would be lost with a 0.8% rise in the unemployment rate. As of June 6, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports there are 7.2 million unemployed US citizens at a rate of 4.2%.

The analysis adds that poorer states would suffer more while state and local tax revenues would fall by US$12 billion. Further cuts to health insurance marketplaces and Medicare will further impact the economy and employment.

“As much as Senate Republicans would prefer to throw out the rule book and advance their conservative ‘families lose and billionaires win’ agenda, this process has rules and Democrats are making sure those rules are enforced. We will be fighting this bill every single day until Republicans bring it to the floor,” comments Merkley.

Need for bipartisan bill

Senator Amy Klobuchar, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, states: “The parliamentarian has made clear that Senate Republicans cannot use their partisan budget to shift major nutrition assistance costs to the states that would have inevitably led to major cuts.”

Republicans would need 60 votes to override the Byrd Rule — but they only hold 53 seats.“While Republicans’ proposed cuts to SNAP will still be devastating to families, farmers, and independent grocers across the country, we will keep fighting to protect families in need. Instead of a rushed partisan process, Republicans should work with us to lower costs for Americans and pass a bipartisan Farm Bill that works for all farmers and rural America.”

Congresswoman Jahana Hayes calls for the Senate to draft a new bill that “does not harm the most vulnerable to give tax cuts to the wealthiest individuals.”

In other updates to SNAP, states have submitted waivers to ban sugary drinks and “junk food” from being bought using food stamps. America First Policy Institute shares that Nebraska, Indiana, and Iowa became the first to have their waivers be approved by the US Department of Agriculture, with the restrictions starting next year.

Other states have also taken executive or legislative action against candy and/or sugary drinks, including Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia.

Although diets with high sugar and ultra-processed food have been proven to be unhealthy, some have questioned whether such bans are most effective in tackling unhealthy diets that are rooted in systemic issues, such as poverty, racism, unaffordable health care, etc. Additionally, the National Confectioners Association argued that consumers “know treats are not meal replacements,” adding that varying definitions of these foods may cause consumer confusion across states.