Copyright Salt Lake Tribune
“The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.” ― Franklin D. Roosevelt Millions of households, millions of children, across America, and in Utah, are facing empty pantries and bare tables in November, and perhaps beyond. It is not due to crop failure, blight, pestilence, drought, war, trade embargoes or natural disaster. The cause of this despicable situation is a choice, a choice made by elected officials at the national and state level, to stop funding the main federal food assistance program for the working poor, children and the disabled. Many people and agencies are stepping up to help at the margins. People like you are donating to groups like the Utah Food Bank and United Way. It speaks well of those making those efforts, but it will be far short of what is needed. It must be understood that, even with the ongoing shutdown, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has a large reserve fund to pay the normal benefits to those who receive them from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. The Trump administration, apparently in an effort to punish the poor and helpless for the sins of the rich and powerful, has decided not to tap that $6 billion reserve account to help those in the most need. Reaching into that earmarked reserve fund need not wait until the logjam over the government shutdown is resolved. Neither side of the congressional aisle is standing in the way. Keeping SNAP funds flowing would do nothing to the size of the rising federal deficit. It is money that taxpayers have already contributed to the program, placed there by officials who acted with some rare foresight to hold the poor harmless for the vagaries of federal politics. Utah also has a substantial reserve fund — it recently topped $1.5 billion — which it could use to make up for the feds’ parsimony. Several other states are moving to fill the gap. But, so far, there seems to be no move among Utah officials to do so. Making up the $33 million a month the feds pay for Utah SNAP benefits would take 2% of the state’s reserve fund. It is fair to ask what better use there could be of funds set aside for a rainy day. Look up, it’s raining. Of course, Utah would not even be facing this choice if the feds were doing their jobs. Utah’s leaders — Gov. Spencer Cox, legislative leaders and our congressional delegation — should be demanding the Trump administration release the SNAP reserve funds for their congressionally mandated purpose. At any one time, some 86,000 Utah households are receiving benefits through SNAP — a program also known as “food stamps.” More than two-thirds of those families include children. Nationally, 40 million people eat each month because of SNAP. Two-thirds of them are children, the elderly or disabled. More than half of the able-bodied, working-age adults on the program have jobs that just don’t pay enough to support a decent living. Some 75% of them have worked within the previous 12 months. The popular image of SNAP benefits primarily flowing to layabouts and cheats is false. Even Josh Hawley, the Republican mega-MAGA senator from Missouri, has written the poor should not be the victims of this Washington gamesmanship. Hawley questionably puts the blame on Congress, rather than the administration, and he supported the Trump budget that slashed aid for the poor. But Hawley is right when he says, “America is a great and wealthy nation, and our most important wealth is our generosity of spirit. We help those in need. We provide for the widow and the orphan. Love of neighbor is part of who we are. The Scripture’s injunction to ‘remember the poor’ is a principle Americans have lived by. It’s time Congress does the same.” As we’ve argued previously, federal shutdowns should not happen. The law should call for all federal programs to continue at the level last approved by Congress until a new budget has been agreed. America used to be justly proud of its ability to feed the world. Now, led by an administration that takes joy in cutting off the “losers” here and abroad, we can’t — we won’t — even feed those most in need in our own communities. How to help There are Utah-based programs in place to help those in need. Those in need of assistance, as well as those in a position to donate funds, can contact 211 Utah, sponsored by the United Way of Salt Lake and United Way of Northern Utah, or the Utah Food Bank. Share your story Is your family in need of help due to the federal government shutdown or suspension of SNAP benefits? Or have you found a way to help others? Sharing your story may motivate or inspire others. Share it with The Salt Lake Tribune by sharing a Letter to the Editor at letters@sltrib.com.
