The sweeping tax and spending bill passed by House Republicans would strip food assistance from approximately 3.2 million people and shift around $14 billion in yearly costs to states, according to a new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysis.
House Democrats, who unanimously opposed the bill in a narrow 215–214 vote early Thursday, argue that the legislation cuts essential aid programs to fund tax breaks for high-income earners.
The CBO released the report late Thursday in response to a request from Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Rep. Angie Craig, both Minnesota Democrats who serve as the top members on the Senate and House Agriculture Committees overseeing federal food aid.
Georgia SNAP Overview
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1.4 million Georgians rely on SNAP.
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In 2024, $3.17 billion in SNAP benefits were distributed across the state.
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Maximum monthly SNAP benefits in Georgia in 2024 were:
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$292 for a single-person household
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$536 for a two-person household
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$975 for a four-person household
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Each additional person adds $220
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Actual benefit amounts vary depending on income and assets.
— Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
“This report is truly devastating,” Craig said in a Friday statement to States Newsroom. “As a mother and someone who at times relied on food assistance as a child, these numbers are heartbreaking. It is infuriating that Republicans in Congress are willing to make our children go hungry so they can give tax breaks to the already rich.”
A key provision of the bill would tighten SNAP work requirements, removing eligibility for single parents with children over 6 and raising the age threshold for work-eligible adults. According to the CBO, this change alone would result in an average monthly loss of benefits for 3.2 million people.
That figure includes:
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1.4 million people who currently have waivers from work requirements
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800,000 adults living with children aged 7 or older
In response, Ben Nichols, spokesman for the House Agriculture Committee, defended the proposal led by Republican Chair Glenn “GT” Thompson of Pennsylvania.
“No one who is able-bodied and working, volunteering, or training for 20 hours a week will lose benefits,” Nichols said, emphasizing that SNAP is the only federal entitlement program fully funded by the government but administered by states.
The broader GOP package also aims to:
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Extend the 2017 tax cuts
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Boost defense and border security spending
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Restructure higher education aid
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Overhaul U.S. energy policy
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Cut overall spending
Impact on States
For the first time, the bill would require states to shoulder part of SNAP’s cost. Beginning in 2028, states would be responsible for 5% to 25% of benefits, with the exact percentage tied to each state’s payment error rate.
Currently, the federal government covers all SNAP benefits.
According to the CBO, this change would:
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Add nearly $100 billion in state expenses from 2028–2034
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Cost about $14 billion per year
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Lead some states to reduce or eliminate SNAP participation
“CBO expects that some states would maintain current benefits and eligibility and others would modify benefits or eligibility or possibly leave the program altogether because of the increased costs,” wrote CBO Director Phillip Swagel.
This shift could lead to 1.3 million additional people losing benefits due to states altering or exiting the program.
Nichols challenged the CBO’s cost-share estimate, saying that all states have met the minimum 5% share requirement in the past decade.
“We reject the hypothetical assumption that some states may not chip into 5 percent of a supplemental nutrition program,” he said. “Every state is capable of paying for a portion of SNAP. Federal policy should encourage states to administer the program more efficiently and effectively—and this bill does just that.”
The CBO analyzed the work requirements and state cost-share provisions separately, so some people may be included in both groups losing benefits.
Next Stop: The Senate
The House-passed bill now heads to the Senate, where the fight over SNAP will likely fall along party lines. Republicans plan to use budget reconciliation to bypass the 60-vote threshold typically needed to advance legislation.
House Republicans have argued the proposed changes would ensure SNAP benefits go to those who need them while cutting costs for able-bodied adults who refuse to work or lack legal status.
Sen. John Boozman of Arkansas, who chairs the Senate Agriculture Committee, intends to pursue “commonsense reforms to SNAP that encourage employment,” according to a statement from his spokeswoman Sara Lasure.
On the other side, Democrats are pushing back. After the House vote, Klobuchar condemned the bill, saying:
“House Republicans are pulling the rug out from under millions of families by taking away federal assistance to put food on the table. They’re doing that even as President Trump’s tariff taxes raise food prices by more than $200 for the average family, all to fund more tax breaks for the wealthy. That’s so very wrong—and we will fight against it in the Senate.”
