Thousands in WA at risk of losing food benefits under GOP bill in Congress

Tens of thousands of low-income Washingtonians could lose federal food assistance if Republicans move ahead with plans in a bill the U.S. House passed last month.

That’s according to estimates from the state and researchers at a left-leaning think tank. The cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps, stem from a tax cut and spending package Republicans call their “big, beautiful bill.” This legislation passed the U.S. House on May 22 and still needs approval from the Senate before it can reach President Donald Trump’s desk.

If more stringent work requirements in the bill take effect, about 79,000 people in Washington would be at risk of losing their benefits entirely, and 149,000 would be at risk of losing some SNAP benefits, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a liberal think tank. The majority of those people live in eastern Washington or the Olympic Peninsula.

The state’s Department of Social and Health Services estimates more than 900,000 people in Washington could see benefits reduced or eliminated if the bill is approved as written.

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/06/03/thousands-in-wa-at-risk-of-losing-food-benefits-under-gop-bill-in-congress/