From the Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism

This summer, Congress is in the process of reauthorizing portions of the Farm Bill, which funds America’s critical nutrition programs. Food Stamp benefits have not increased since the Farm Bill was last authorized in 2002 and remain a meager $1 per person, per meal. Senator Harkin (D-IA), Chair of the Agriculture Committee, has joined with other members of the Senate in the fight against hunger and introduced the Food Stamp Fairness and Benefit Restoration Act of 2007 (S. 1529).

America’s nutrition programs must be modernized to meet the growing need for government assistance and counterbalance the stagnant wages of an economy that has left so many hard working families below the poverty level. Between 2000 and 2005, the numbers of Americans living in poverty increased by 5 million people, meaning approximately 37 million Americans currently live below the poverty level. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that over 35 million people live in homes that are food insecure and that in 2006, 26 million people utilized Food Stamps. Congress must take action to expand food stamp eligibility and increase the benefit level.

S.1529 works toward expanding eligibility and increasing the benefit level by calling for improvements to Title I, the nutrition title of the Farm Bill. Improvements to Title I include restoring Food Stamp eligibility for some legal immigrant households, raising the benefit level to keep up with inflation, streamlining the enrollment process for nutrition benefits, and allocating more money to food banks to buy commodity goods. Moreover, S.1529 calls on Congress to raise the asset limit for families receiving Food Stamps from the current value of $2,000 and to exclude the value of education savings in that calculus.

Take Action
Here in Michigan, Senator Stabenow has already signed on to this important legislation. Please tell Senator Levin to do the same. In emails, faxes, and phone calls, please urge your Senator Levin to cosponsor the Food Stamp Fairness and Benefits Restoration Act of 2007 (S.1529).

You can call (202) 224-6221 or write to him at:

The Honorable Carl Levin
269 Russell Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-2202