Tell House Republicans: Don’t cut food stamp benefits.

Instead, Republican leadership has doubled down on the crazy, and drafted a bill that doubles the cuts to SNAP. Republicans will likely bring the bill to the floor this week, and we cannot – we must not – let it pass. That’s why I started my own campaign on CREDOMobilize.com, which allows activists to start their own petitions. My petition, which is to Republican leadership in the House of Representatives, says the following:

Hunger shouldn’t be a political issue. We urge you to reject $39 billion in cuts to SNAP, and ensure that the 49 million people who are hungry in America – 17 million of whom are children – aren’t left without life-saving, vital aid.

Will you join me and add your name to my petition telling House Republicans to vote down cuts to food stamps?

Earlier this year, I took the food stamp challenge for the second time, living on $31.50 for a week to bring attention to the plight of those who live on SNAP. It was an eye-opening experience that helped me better understand the struggles faced by tens of millions of American families.

Despite what some critics like to say, the Food Stamp Program is not a government handout – it is a true safety net program that provides access to food for people who cannot afford to choose between rent, medicine, child care and transportation. And it is efficient: The National Journal recently named SNAP “one of the government’s top successes” and the Government Accountability Office has repeatedly reported on the successes of this important program.

According to the USDA, over 26 million people benefited from SNAP last year. Over 80% of food stamp benefits go to families with children. One in five food stamp households includes an elderly family member, and one in four includes a disabled member. Increasingly, working families must rely on food stamps to supplement their wages in low-paying jobs.

SNAP is our government’s first line of defense against hunger and malnutrition, and it should be better equipped to accomplish that task, not gutted for the sake of politics.

Add your name to my petition telling House Republicans to vote down cuts to food stamps.

Thank you for your support.

Rep. Jim McGovern

CREDO Mobilize helps activists like you make progressive change and fight regressive policies by creating online petitions. Click here to start a petition today.