CLEVELAND (WJW) — The U.S. Senate has passed a version of the reconciliation bill that includes a 20% cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), totaling more than $180 billion through 2034, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
Food insecurity advocates said they are extremely concerned. The proposed cuts in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act would affect more than 40 million people nationwide.
In Ohio, experts project the change would create a gap the state can’t afford.
“Ohio would be responsible for nearly $400 million each year in new spending just to maintain what are already inadequate benefits for primarily children, seniors, disabled Ohioans and working families,” said Joree Novotny, executive director of the Ohio Association of Foodbanks.
Novotny is sounding the alarm over proposed reductions to both Medicaid and SNAP benefits in the legislation, which comes as food banks in Northeast Ohio report record need.
“Families and seniors have been struggling under years of high food prices, high rates of inflation for basic household expenses,” Novotny said. “And even though the rate of inflation has slowed down slightly, that doesn’t mean we’ve seen easing in food prices.”
Beginning in 2028, states would be required to contribute a set percentage of SNAP costs if their payment error rate exceeds 6%.
The Greater Cleveland Food Bank said it is particularly concerned, noting that for every one meal a food bank provides, SNAP supplies nine.
“These threats come on the heels of the passage of the State of Ohio budget, which reduced funding for food programs by 25%—deep cuts that will affect food banks, their nonprofit partners and struggling families and seniors across the state,” said Kristin Warzocha, president and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.
“We urge Congress to protect and strengthen these proven programs, and to pass a Farm Bill that ensures sustained federal investment in hunger relief. These programs are not only lifelines for individuals—they are smart economic policy,” Warzocha said. “They stretch local philanthropic dollars, support Ohio farmers through food purchases and drive spending at neighborhood grocery stores.”
Warzocha added that SNAP helps sustain jobs and fuels local economies across rural and urban communities, supporting retailers, suppliers and workers.
“Food is a basic human need—and a fundamental building block of strong communities,” she said. “The Greater Cleveland Food Bank remains fully committed to doing everything in our power to meet the growing need. We will continue raising funds and stretching every dollar to purchase food. But we cannot do this alone. Congress must act now to protect SNAP and other nutrition programs before more families and older Americans are left behind.”
Sen. Jon Husted’s office issued a statement to FOX 8, cautioning people to take these projections with a grain of salt.
“Every qualifying family will continue to receive SNAP benefits,” a Husted aide said via email. “In order to protect benefits for citizens in need, Congress is ensuring the program is administered better, because SNAP is one of the most fraud-ridden social safety net programs in America.”
The aide continued: “Ohio taxpayers deserve to know that SNAP is working for the right people by cutting out fraud and ineligible recipients like illegal immigrants. Because the error rates don’t impact states until fiscal year 2028, Ohio has plenty of time to reduce fraud and implement the bill without losing federal funding for benefits.”
The statement also pointed to other elements of the bill aimed at supporting families.
“The senator is working to protect low-income families by ensuring that taxpayer dollars for feeding their households don’t go to illegal immigrants or the wrong people,” the aide said. “The budget bill also helps Ohioans afford food by increasing the refundable portion of the child tax credit for families to $1,700, and it increases the annual deduction for senior citizens to $6,000. SNAP benefits are safe, and relief for working and vulnerable Ohioans is on the way.”
Novotny, however, urged Congress to reconsider the cuts.
“Ultimately, we need this legislation to serve the interests of American and Ohio families that are struggling with high prices and trying to survive paycheck to paycheck,” she said. “This isn’t reflective of what they’re looking for. And we would urge Congress to reconsider before it structurally, fundamentally changes the basic food assistance that we’ve promised to all of our citizens.”
Gov. Mike DeWine’s office declined to comment but said they are reviewing the proposal.
