As Devastating GOP SNAP CUTS ARE SET to Shift COST of Critical FOOD Assistance to States and Counties and Increase Hunger, Schumer Launches PUSH to Delay COST Shifts and SAVE Capital Region County...

Last Year Trump And Republicans Made The Largest Cut To SNAP In History – NEARLY $200 BILLION – Meaning Now Capital Region Counties Will Need To Find A Whopping $4.4+ MILLION To Keep Nutrition Assistance Flowing To Families, Seniors, and Veterans In Need Including $588,000 For Rensselaer County And $783,000 For Albany County House And Senate GOP Have Refused To Reverse Cruel SNAP Cuts; Schumer Calls On Republicans To Work With Democrats To Write A Farm Bill That Restores SNAP & Helps 103,000 New Yorkers In The Capital Region Put Food On The Table Schumer: Families & Children Should Not Go Hungry – Any Farm Bill Must Protect SNAP As New York counties scramble to find funding to keep SNAP alive after Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill made the largest program cuts in history, and Congressional Republicans refuse to act , U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today stood at Unity House in Troy with local officials and providers to launch his push for a two-year delay in cost shifts. In New York, counties administer the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and $4.4 million in new annual costs will fall directly on county budgets in the Capital Region, forcing counties to choose between raising local taxes or cutting food assistance for New Yorkers in need. As Congress works on the upcoming Farm Bill, Schumer urged Republicans to work with Democrats to meet the needs of families across the country suffering from skyrocketing costs of living and called on New York House Republicans to stand with New York families and local legislators against these cuts. “103,000 New York families, kids, and seniors across the Capital Region depend on SNAP to put food on the table. But last year, Republicans passed the largest cut to SNAP in history, forcing Capital Region counties and their taxpayers to pick up the tab,” said Senator Schumer. “Now, Republicans want to move forward with a Farm Bill that would do nothing for hungry families or the counties. The Republicans’ plan will immediately blow a nearly $600,000 hole in the Rensselaer County budget, and counties across the state will be forced to choose between raising local taxes and cutting food assistance for hungry kids, seniors, veterans, and families. It’s just plain cruel.” Schumer added, “That’s why I’m here today to announce that I will NOT support a Farm Bill that does not at least provide more time for states and counties to prepare to shoulder the cost of SNAP. A Republican Farm Bill that abandons hungry families is not a serious proposal. I urge Republicans, especially New York House Republicans, to come back to the table and write a Farm Bill that actually meets the moment: supporting farmers, strengthening rural America, protecting families, and ensuring Americans have enough to eat by reversing SNAP cuts.” The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest anti-hunger program in the United States and a lifeline for nearly 3 million NY children, seniors, veterans, and families who rely on the critical funding to purchase groceries. Last year, Trump and Congressional Republicans rushed to pass a nearly $200 billion cut to SNAP, ripping away food from thousands of hungry kids and families across America. Since SNAP is administered by counties in New York State, counties will be forced to shoulder the burden of increased SNAP costs, using more local dollars to administer the program because less federal funding will be coming in. During recessions or economic downturns, these impacts will be even more acute, as more people apply for benefits and state revenue declines, more children, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and more will be turned away from this vital program due to insufficient funding. As Congress works on a five-year Farm Bill, which governs federal agricultural, food, and conservation programs, Schumer has said Democrats cannot support a Farm Bill until Republicans agree to include the two-year delay to the SNAP cost shift. Just last month , Senate Republicans released the text of a five-year Farm Bill that fails to address SNAP cuts. In April , House Republicans passed a five-year Farm Bill that also failed to address SNAP cuts. Democrats stand united against any Farm Bill that does not include a two-year cost shift delay for SNAP, which would provide parity for New York with other states, like Alaska, which do not have to begin shouldering the cost of SNAP for another two years. There have been strong bipartisan calls to reverse course from governors, mayors, and state legislatures to support the cost-shift delay. Schumer is calling on New York House Republicans to join Democrats and their constituents in the fight against these cruel food assistance cuts. New York State Association of Counties Executive Director Stephen J. Acquario said, “We thank Senator Schumer for standing with counties and New York City in our call for a two-year delay to the SNAP administrative cost shift that will dramatically increase county responsibilities while cutting $168 million in federal administrative support. This cost-shift cannot be absorbed by counties operating on tight, efficiently managed budgets. Without immediate federal action, counties will face impossible choices between raising local taxes and cutting other essential services residents depend on. A two-year delay gives counties the time needed to implement these changes responsibly while protecting the families, seniors, and veterans who rely on SNAP and the taxpayers who fund it.” "SNAP is our nation’s first line of defense against hunger, yet recent federal policy changes have already caused tens of thousands of people in our region to lose benefits. Demand for Regional Food Bank services is 14% higher than it was this time last year; the charitable food system cannot continue to absorb growing need," said Susan Lintner, Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer, Regional Food Bank. "We urge Congress to put our neighbors first and strengthen—not weaken—the programs that help keep hunger at bay. Congress must ensure that any Farm Bill includes a delay to SNAP cost-sharing requirements, giving states and counties time to implement these changes while protecting access to critical nutrition assistance for our most vulnerable neighbors." According to a report from the New York State Association of Counties, 15,127 New Yorkers in Rensselaer County receive more than $35 million in annual benefits through SNAP. The planned cost shift is expected to leave Rensselaer County with an additional $588,765 in annual budget costs, at the same time as the county is already managing state and federal mandates, workforce shortages, rising service demands, and the property tax cap. Across the Capital Region, more than 103,000 New Yorkers receive $250 million in annual SNAP benefits. The planned cost shift is expected to shift more than $4.4 million in costs to counties in the Capital Region. The 2026 Albany County budget said Trump’s Medicaid and SNAP cuts will pose significant challenges to municipalities. A breakdown of annual benefits paid, individuals served, and county cost increases for counties in the Capital Region can be found below: County Annual Benefits Paid Individuals Served County Cost Increase Albany $76,301,030 29,318 $783,388 Columbia $11,724,584 4,803 $694,988 Greene $9,121,184 3,706 $243,582 Rensselaer $35,274,548 15,127 $588,380 Saratoga $31,148,873 13,364 $735,649 Schenectady $49,796,247 20,544 $181,620 Schoharie $8,078,856 3,588 $183,876 Warren $15,024,331 6,453 $416,854 Washington $14,323,843 6,620 $574,558 TOTAL $250,793,496 103,523 $4,402,895 ###