Birmingham town hall urges opposition to federal bill impacting SNAP and health care aid

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — A community town hall held on Saturday at East Lake United Methodist Church in Birmingham addressed growing concerns over federal legislation that could significantly impact food assistance and health care for Alabamians. The event, co-hosted by Alabama Arise and Birmingham Indivisible, aimed to inform the public about potential cuts to vital services and how residents can oppose these changes.

The U.S. House recently passed a budget bill that proposes drastic reductions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and health coverage, affecting hundreds of thousands of Alabamians. The bill would shift the financial burden of SNAP benefits to states, potentially costing Alabama nearly $300 million annually. If the state cannot cover these costs, SNAP benefits could be significantly reduced or eliminated for nearly 800,000 participants.

LaTrell Clifford Wood, a hunger policy advocate, highlighted the severe consequences of the bill. “There will be a large impact among families with children, people with disabilities, and seniors. About 750,000 people in the state of Alabama rely on SNAP, about half of those are households with children,” said Wood. Wood warned that the bill’s passage could lead to increased hunger, decreased workforce development, and higher grocery prices.

Advocates say the legislation also threatens to make health coverage less accessible by eliminating extra financial help through HealthCare.gov and blocking Alabama from receiving $619 million in federal incentives to expand Medicaid. Jenn Gray, partnerships coordinator for Birmingham Indivisible, expressed concern over the potential health impacts. “If they have to choose between ‘oh, I don’t need to have this spot looked at—I just can’t afford it right now,’ and then, 2 months later, it’s cancer… that’s a problem,” said Gray.

“Moving the federal fund to the state of Alabama to pay is unacceptable. Alabama is a poor state, we cannot take on this burden, we have a responsibly to protect and care for the individuals in our state,” Gray added.

Attendees learned about the stakes for Alabama’s families and rural hospitals and were encouraged to contact Alabama senators to oppose the bill. Alabama Arise, a nonprofit organization advocating for marginalized Alabamians, urged residents to make their voices heard in defense of food assistance and affordable health care by reaching out to state senators and asking them to vote in opposition.

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