MAZON Statements

Today, MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger praised the U.S. House and Senate for passing a stopgap funding bill to avoid a government shutdown, which would have prevented millions of Americans from receiving life-saving food assistance. At the same time, MAZON urged Congress to redouble efforts to strengthen and improve federal anti-hunger programs despite calls by some legislators to weaken them.

“Today’s passage of the stopgap funding bill ensures that millions of Americans can continue to access life-saving government support through programs like SNAP and WIC — this was a no-brainer,” said Abby J. Leibman, MAZON’s President and CEO. “Irresponsible gamesmanship by the majority party in the House once again brought us to the brink of disaster. It is appalling that there are over 44 million Americans currently facing food insecurity, and many House Republicans are still trying to cut them from assistance, blame them for their circumstances, and use them as political bargaining chips.

“Clearly, these are times that require real leadership by our Congress and leadership that is guided by the values and history of the United States, that makes it clear: our government has a responsibility to respond to the needs of the vulnerable without judgment or delay.

“Even as vital government programs continue, WIC faces a shortfall that will create a waitlist for the first time in a generation, cutting off access to WIC for an estimated 600,000 parents and young children. Supplemental funding for WIC is urgently needed and it cannot wait. MAZON demands that both political parties return to their historic partnership in not only protecting federal safety net programs, but strengthening them and ensuring they’re accessible to all those in need.

“Fighting hunger should be a nonpartisan priority of long-term government funding negotiations and reauthorization of the Farm Bill, which has been kicked down the road for another year as part of this agreement. Programs like SNAP, WIC, and the child tax credit prove time and again to be critical and effective tools against hunger and poverty.”