Illinois Democrats Blast Republicans Over SNAP Cuts, Warn of Impact on Free School Meals (Springfield, IL) – The Democratic Party of Illinois is criticizing the state’s Republican congressional delegation following new reporting that federal cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) could reduce access to free school meals for thousands of Illinois students.
The party argues that changes included in the recently enacted federal budget law could leave more families without SNAP benefits, potentially affecting schools’ eligibility for free meal programs as the new academic year begins.
According to the Democratic Party of Illinois, more than 300,000 Illinois residents are expected to lose SNAP benefits under the new law. The party says those reductions could also affect school meal eligibility because students enrolled in SNAP can be automatically certified to receive free school meals.
Democratic Party of Illinois spokesperson Gwen Pepin placed responsibility on Republican members of Congress who supported the legislation.
“As the start of a new school year approaches and policies from the Big Ugly Budget continue to take effect, it remains clear that congressional Republicans’ blind loyalty to Trump will allow them to sacrifice the wellbeing of our kids,” Pepin said in a statement. “Voters will remember that the ILGOP supports SNAP cuts, supports Trump, and stands behind taking food from children.”
The statement specifically criticizes U.S. Reps. Mary Miller, Darin LaHood and Mike Bost, saying they supported the federal budget package.
The comments come in response to reporting by WNIJ News, which cited a new analysis examining how SNAP reductions could affect school meal access in Illinois.
According to the report, students who participate in SNAP or Medicaid can be directly certified for free school meals.
“Students who are enrolled in SNAP and Medicaid can be directly certified for free school meals,” report co-author Paige Shoemaker Demio told WNIJ.
The report also estimated that an Illinois family with two children would pay approximately $1,170 per year for school lunches if they no longer qualified for free meals, based on a median lunch price of $3.25.
Researchers cited in the report said more than 1 million Illinois students currently qualify for free or reduced-price meals and warned that lower SNAP participation could reduce enrollment in school meal programs during the upcoming school year.
The analysis also noted that the federal budget law eliminated the SNAP-Ed nutrition education program, which previously served more than 1 million students nationwide.
Supporters of the federal legislation have argued that the changes are intended to reduce federal spending, strengthen work requirements and improve the long-term sustainability of SNAP and other assistance programs.
Illinois Democrats Blast Republicans Over SNAP Cuts, Warn of Impact on Free School Meals
