Dem ‘hunger guide’ calls for more nutrition funds

House Democrats on Wednesday blasted Republican plans they say will cut food stamp benefits and released a “hunger guide” to draw attention to nutrition issues.

The study, compiled by Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Sam Farr (D-Calif.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), and Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), highlights stories of Americans who struggle to put food on the table and reviews the state of federal nutrition programs.

“Nearly 49 million Americans are struggling with hunger and food insecurity today,” said DeLauro at a press conference. “Most troubling of all is that this figure includes 16 million children.”

{mosads}This figure represents one in seven American households, and rolling back federal nutrition programs will only exacerbate the problem, according to the Guide to Domestic Hunger and Federal Nutrition Programs.

DeLauro expressed concern over proposals to cut the government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or food stamps.

“Instead of weakening the nutrition safety net, we need to strengthen it,” she said.

Each member of Congress will receive a guide with nutrition data for their individual states and districts.

McGovern, the co-chairman of the Congressional Hunger Caucus, highlighted recent hearings aimed at assessing waste, fraud or abuse in the food stamp program. He said those hearings were geared not toward reforming the program but stripping it of funds.

He said the food stamp program had become “an ATM machine for the right.”

“I have a sinking feeling that the point of these hearings is not to solve hunger but to propose cuts,” said McGovern.

The release of the hunger report comes ahead of a House Agricultural Committee hearing on the food stamp program later Wednesday.