On May 31, the UFCW issued a response to the bi-partisan debt ceiling deal that passed the House that evening.
“It is alarming that Republican lawmakers were able to use debt ceiling negotiations as a way to force backdoor cuts to federal programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that millions of Americans depend on to feed and support their families,” said UFCW International President Marc Perrone in a statement. “They are essentially tilting this nation’s debt ceiling so that the weight of it falls on people who can least afford to carry it.”
“SNAP is not only vital in helping put food on the table, it creates good, sustainable jobs in farms, food processing plants, distribution centers, and grocery stores in every state and congressional district,” Perrone added. “Any change to this program, including additional work requirements, is a direct threat to these essential jobs. While the Biden Administration certainly deserves credit for negotiating a bipartisan deal and avoiding both an economic collapse and the much worse House-passed bill, we are concerned that there are proposals in this deal that will ultimately hurt American people who are struggling the most.”