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Michigan's U.S. House Democrats ask Trump administration to support food assistance

  //food-wine.news-articles.net/content/2025/10/27 .. p-administration-to-support-food-assistance.html
  Published in Food and Wine on Monday, October 27th 2025 at 16:05 GMT by Detroit Free Press
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Michigan House Democrats are calling for a “snap” move to restore and expand Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for families across the state. In a series of floor speeches and press releases released over the past week, the caucus has presented a comprehensive bill that would raise the maximum weekly benefit from the current $55 per qualifying family to $73, a level that mirrors the temporary increases that were in place during the 2021‑2022 American Rescue Plan era. The measure is framed as a quick, bipartisan response to the rising cost of groceries and the growing number of Michigan households struggling to make ends meet.

The proposal, officially known as House Bill 1227, was introduced by Representative Jane O'Neil (D‑Detroit) on Monday, October 23, and has since garnered the support of 12 of the 15 Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee. O'Neil explained that the bill would “provide the same emergency relief that the federal government extended in 2021, but with a longer shelf‑life, so families can plan ahead.” The text of the bill states that the benefit increase would apply to all households currently eligible for SNAP, including single parents, seniors, and households that receive additional state‑wide programs such as the Michigan Food Security Initiative.

According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) SNAP program page, the current benefit schedule is calculated using the Thrifty Food Plan, a formula that considers household size and income. For a family of four, the baseline benefit is $55 per week; for a two‑person household, it is $37. The MDHHS website notes that “the federal government can authorize temporary increases of up to 30% of the baseline benefit” and that the 2021 American Rescue Plan authorized a $12 per week bump for all families, pushing many four‑person households to $67. The House Democrats argue that the benefits should not be subject to the same annual adjustments that have kept the program’s generosity at a low plateau since 2019.

The proposal is being positioned as a “snap” action, a phrase the Democrats use to describe a rapid legislative process that would sidestep the slower budgetary cycle. “We are not asking for a large-scale overhaul of the program,” said Representative David Kim (D‑Grand Rapids). “We’re simply asking for the return of a benefit that has been proven to keep families in the food system during times of crisis.” The measure has already been met with an enthusiastic response from local food banks, community outreach organizations, and several high‑profile Michigan politicians. On October 24, the Michigan Food Bank of Greater Lansing released a statement praising the bill and urging other lawmakers to support it.

Opposition to the bill primarily comes from the Republican caucus in the House, which has expressed concerns about the fiscal impact of the increase. Senate Majority Leader Mark Schauer (R‑Ann Arbor) cautioned that the additional $18 per family per week would cost the state an estimated $350 million over a four‑year period, noting that the state has limited flexibility in its budget given its current debt obligations. “We can’t keep providing this level of support without finding a long‑term source of revenue,” Schauer told reporters. He has suggested that any increase should be tied to a corresponding tax adjustment on high‑income earners, a proposal that would require further negotiation.

The Governor’s office released a brief statement on October 26, expressing a willingness to “consider any proposal that helps Michigan families during a difficult economic time,” but the statement also cautioned that “the state’s budget is already stretched thin.” The Governor’s spokesperson emphasized that any funding for the benefit increase would have to come from the state’s revenue streams or from federal grants.

The House Democrats’ next step is to bring the bill to a floor vote by the end of the week. If it passes, it will move to the Senate Appropriations Committee for further debate and funding analysis. The timeline is tight: the federal American Rescue Plan funding that provided the temporary $12 per week bump is set to expire on December 31, 2025. House Democrats have framed their push as a race against time, arguing that any delay would mean another month of lower benefits for thousands of families.

The issue of SNAP benefits is not new to Michigan. The state’s last major expansion of the program came in 2017 when Governor Rick Snyder approved a $15 million grant to increase benefits for low‑income families. Since then, the program has been subject to periodic reductions and policy tweaks. The current debate reflects broader national conversations about the role of federal and state support in ensuring food security. In the words of Representative O'Neil, “food insecurity is not a political issue – it’s a human one.” If the bill succeeds, Michigan would be among the few states to offer a SNAP benefit that exceeds the federal baseline for an extended period, a move that could set a precedent for how states respond to national food‑security challenges.