Asst. Minority Leader Robinson: Ohio Republicans Failed to Act to Help Ohioans About to Lose SNAP Benefits
COLUMBUS - Assistant Minority Leader and State Rep. Phil Robinson (D-Solon) today 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 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 Tuesday Rep. Robinson joined with the Ohio House Democratic Caucus to send a letter to Governor Mike DeWine urging him to take immediate action.
“Of the almost 1.4 million Ohioans at risk of losing their SNAP benefits with the ongoing federal shutdown of the government, 190,000 of them reside in Cuyahoga County. These are seniors, working men and women with children, and veterans who don’t deserve to go hungry due to government inaction in DC or Columbus,” said Rep. Robinson.
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 failed on the floor would have:
- Creates 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;
- Appropriates 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;
- Requires JFS to work with Ohio Association of Food Banks (OAFB) to determine timeframe for distributing funds, as needed; and
- Requires 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.
In the letter sent to Governor DeWine, Ohio House Democrats said:
“Governor, we are asking that - by Wednesday- you declare a state of emergency, provide state funds to foodbanks to meet the needs of hungry Ohioans, and mobilize the national guard to distribute food on an as needed basis in coordination with the foodbanks. Ohio families will go hungry without SNAP benefits, including over a half million children, over 250,000 seniors, and an estimated 45,000 veterans. Time is of the essence, and we need to act before Saturday’s deadline, ” said House Democrats in their letter to the governor. “It does not matter where we stand on the respective sides of the battle over healthcare premiums in D.C., the reality is that the most vulnerable people across our state are going to go hungry if we do not act. We are urging leadership in the face of this crisis.”
Specifically, House Democrats requested the governor:
- Use his executive authority to immediately declare a state of emergency; and
- Work with the legislature to unlock up to $100M to ensure that foodbanks can feed those in need citing various funding sources that could be made available and noting Controlling Board’s emergency fund as the most immediate option.
Ohio families should not have to choose between buying food or medicine or keeping the heat on because of the state’s failure to respond to this urgent crisis.