The Shadow
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined every Senate Democrat in introducing the Restoring Food Security for American Families and Farmers Act of 2025. The legislation would repeal the devastating Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) cuts Republicans in Congress approved in July in order to fund tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans.
Congress has long maintained a bipartisan commitment to ensure Americans have access to food, but the partisan tax and budget megabill Republicans wrote and approved over the summer included the largest SNAP cuts in history. To fund tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans, congressional Republicans approved cuts that the Congressional Budget Office estimates will reduce food assistance by $187 billion over the next ten years, even as grocery prices rise and tariffs increase costs for families. These Republican cuts will take meals from millions of Americans, including children, seniors, veterans, workers, and people with disabilities, while harming farmers, ranchers, small businesses, and grocers who rely on SNAP dollars. In addition, the Republican bill creates a massive unfunded mandate on state governments that could force deep cuts or even eliminate SNAP entirely.
“It is unconscionable that congressional Republicans voted in July to fund tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans by cutting SNAP, taking assistance away from millions of seniors, veterans, and working families even as it gets harder and harder for them to afford groceries,” said the senators. “Our legislation will reverse these harmful cuts so that families aren’t forced to go hungry while food costs continue to climb because of President Trump’s reckless policies.”
Earlier this week, nearly 1,500 national, state, and community-based organizations joined a letter voicing support for this effort.
SNAP is a lifeline for over 42 million Americans, including 16 million children, 8 million seniors, 4 million people with disabilities, 1.2 million veterans, and 850,000 Virginians.
In addition to Sens. Warner and Kaine, this legislation is sponsored by U.S. Sens. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY) Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
U.S. Reps. Jahana Hayes (D-CT-05) and Angie Craig (D-MN-02) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The full bill text of the legislation can be found here.
