Rep. Russo: Ohio Republicans Failed to Act to Help Millions of Ohioans About to Lose SNAP Benefits

COLUMBUS — State Rep. Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) yesterday condemned Ohio Republicans in the state legislature for failing to act on any measures that could have preserved Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for 1.4M Ohioans. Instead, in two days, more than a half million children, more than 250,000 seniors, and an estimated 45,000 veterans are at risk of going hungry when the federal government defaults on its November deposit to fully fund SNAP benefit cards due to President Trump and Congressional Republicans' refusal to end the federal government shutdown.

“On Saturday, nearly 1.4 million people across Ohio who rely on SNAP, including children, seniors, and veterans, will not receive help to pay for food,” said Rep. Russo. “This includes nearly 600,000 children, who shouldn’t be punished and go hungry because of this federal shutdown and politicians in Columbus who want to play the blame game and sit on their hands. There are real steps Governor DeWine can immediately take to provide temporary relief and funding to fill the gap until this shutdown ends.”

Ohio Republicans Wednesday refused to take up several possible solutions introduced by House Democrats to help mitigate the impending humanitarian and financial crisis facing Ohio including: 

House Bill 502: A bill introduced by State Rep. Latyna Humphrey (D-Columbus) that would have continued to fund SNAP, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs, and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) contingent upon a lapse in federal funding. The bill was never referred to a committee, never given a public hearing and never considered for a full vote in the House of Representatives.

An amendment drafted and introduced Wednesday but not taken up would have:

• Create a new fund under the Ohio Dept. of Job and Family Services (JFS) to provide emergency funds to Ohio food banks until the federal government shutdown ends or SNAP recipients begin to receive benefits again;
• Appropriate up to $100M as needed by food banks to meet increased need during shutdown either from Controlling Board emergency purposes fund or rainy day fund;
• Require JFS to work with Ohio Association of Food Banks (OAFB) to determine timeframe for distributing funds, as needed; and
• Require OAFB to coordinate and work with Meals on Wheels and other similar non-profit food delivery organizations to distribute food to the disabled, seniors, and others who may lack transportation. 

Come Saturday, November 1st, families will be forced to choose between buying food or medicine or keeping the heat on because of Ohio Republicans’ failure to respond to this urgent crisis.