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More than 8 million children in over a dozen states are being denied access to a new federal program aimed at providing food assistance to families with lower incomes this summer due to the actions of Republican governors.
Thirty-five out of the fifty states, 13 of which have governors from the Republican Party, have signed up for the program. This program gives an extra $120 per child to purchase food during the summer months when schools do not offer assistance. Many children in America depend on free or discounted lunch programs at school.
The proposal was included in a joint budget deal passed by Congress two years ago. However, several Republican governors in twelve states where there are high numbers of children living in poverty are rejecting it.
Some officials said the administrative costs to implement the Summer EBT plans in their states were too high, or fired out dismissive, ideologically driven objections to food assistance programs for families in need. “I don’t believe in welfare,” Nebraska Governor Jim Pillein toldThe Journal Star. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt said it merely adds “more bureaucracy for families to wade through.”
Mississippi’s Governor Tate Reeves, a state with the highest rates of child poverty and food insecurity in the US, dismissed the program as an effort by President Joe Biden and Democratic leaders to increase the reach of the welfare system.
A recent report from the US Census Bureau revealed that over 22% of households in Mississippi lack sufficient food to maintain a healthy diet. Furthermore, a staggering 28% of children in the state live below the poverty line, which is almost twice the national average.
Iowa’s Governor Kim Reynolds stated that an EBT card does not effectively encourage healthy eating habits, especially when childhood obesity is a growing issue.
Tom Vilsack, the current US Agriculture Secretary and former governor of Iowa, stated to reporters that the governor’s choice to reject $29 million in food assistance for 240,000 children in the state is regrettable.
In Louisiana, approximately 27% of children are currently living in poverty. The state’s decision to reject the program may be attributed in part to a change in administration. It is uncertain if the newly elected far-right Republican Governor Jeff Landry, who recently took office from outgoing Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards, will continue enrolling the state in the program.
The USDA estimates that around 600,000 children in the state would be positively impacted by the program.
The state, under new management, has not officially chosen to participate in the program, but authorities have stated that the delay will not hinder their ability to join if they decide to.
The states of Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, and Wyoming have all refused to participate.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, along with other state officials, declined to participate in a new food assistance program during the summer months.
Unable to reword – This is an image from the AFP news agency through Getty Images.
Approximately 21 million households across 35 states, as well as all five US territories and four tribal nations, will have the opportunity to receive up to $120 per child during the summer. This aid will reach around 70% of eligible families, as reported by the USDA.
According to Luis Guardia, president of the Food Research & Action Center, when the academic year concludes, a large number of children from low-income households are no longer able to receive the school meals that they depend on. This statement was shared with The Independent.
Current summer nutrition initiatives, also known as “summer meals,” only reach a small portion of the children who depend on complimentary and discounted school meals during the academic year, according to the speaker. The proposed Summer EBT program seeks to close this disparity.
The deadline for enrollment has come while Congress is grappling with the possibility of another government shutdown. They also have a deadline to maintain important programs in the face of a severe hunger and poverty crisis, which worsened after Covid-19 aid expired.
The Biden administration is cautioning legislators that a vital federal aid program for families with low income could reject 2 million Americans if Congress does not prevent a shutdown in the current month.
Governor Tate Reeves of Mississippi, where over 25% of children are in poverty, expressed opposition to a proposed summer food assistance program, stating it would increase reliance on government aid.
According to officials at the White House, a deal must be reached in Congress, which is deeply divided, to provide an additional $1 billion in support for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). This program assists approximately 7 million families annually, but is currently facing a budget deficit due to increasing food prices and higher participation rates.
According to a report released in December by the nonpartisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a lack of funding could result in 2 million individuals and their families not receiving necessary support.
The amount of kids facing poverty in the United States has increased by over 100% in the past year due to the end of government pandemic assistance, which Congress chose not to renew despite a significant decrease in the country’s poverty levels.
The percentage of children living in poverty increased from 5.2% to 12.4%, making it the biggest increase in child poverty since the US Census Bureau started using the Supplemental Poverty Measure in 2009.
According to government data, the percentage of food insecurity in the United States increased to 12.8% in 2022, affecting 17 million households. This marks a significant rise of 4 million households in just one year.
According to a recent USDA report, families with incomes below the federal poverty threshold face difficulties in affording healthy food due to increasing costs. This is particularly true for those enrolled in federal assistance programs, as affordability is reported as the main obstacle to eating a nutritious diet. Providing an extra $120 during the summer months could greatly benefit these families in need.
Iowa Hunger Coalition’s board chair, Luke Elzinga, expressed disappointment in the state’s decision to reject the Summer EBT program, stating that hunger is a deliberate choice made by policies. He criticized Iowa’s leaders for turning feeding children into a political matter.
Source: independent.co.uk
