In July 2025, the 119th Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), a piece of legislation spearheaded by the Trump administration that has remained at the forefront of controversy for the past year. Critics argue that the law would result in critical blows against society’s most vulnerable populations, citing the potential of a redistribution of wealth from the poor to the rich, a loosening of incentives for companies to invest in clean energy, and a substantial increase in deportations. One of the biggest areas of concern regarding the OBBBA is its prospective impact on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). In response to SNAP cuts, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey issued a public statement denouncing the president and his role as a key supporter of the bill: “If President Trump wants to penalize states for preventing Americans from going hungry, we will see him in court.” Governor Healey encouraged Massachusetts residents to spend the remaining funds on their cards, emphasizing her commitment to push back against the new restrictions and restore full SNAP benefits to her constituents.
SNAP, a program also known as “food stamps”, provides low-income households with federal funds to purchase groceries monthly. It is the largest anti-hunger program in the United States. In fact, over 42 million individuals received benefits in just the first eight months of 2025 (USDA). Under the OBBBA, SNAP benefits would be cut by approximately $186 billion over ten years—a 20 percent reduction, which would mark the largest reduction of funding in decades. Additionally, the implementation of the OBBBA would result in a multitude of increased eligibility requirements. Adults between the ages of 55 and 64, as well as adults with children over the age of 14, would have to work a minimum of 20 hours a week. If they do not comply with these regulations, they would only be able to receive benefits for three months over a span of three years. These rules would apply to veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and those with disabilities, who were previously exempt from these work requirements. The OBBBA also poses a new financial burden for states. Beginning in fiscal year 2027, states would have to cover 75 percent of SNAP administrative costs—a substantial increase from their previous share of 50 percent. Taken together, these changes would result in millions of struggling American families losing access to healthy and nutritious food.
SNAP cuts have caused disruption to efforts to end hunger in every state, including Massachusetts. Approximately one million Massachusetts residents currently receive SNAP benefits (Project Bread). With the implementation of the OBBBA, more than 160,000 residents’ SNAP benefits will be reduced or cancelled. This would be detrimental to many families, especially during difficult economic times and high rates of inflation that have persisted after the COVID-19 pandemic. “We see a lot of people who are employed, sometimes working a couple of different jobs” Andy Doane, executive director of the food pantry and home delivery service Arlington Eats, told Cambridge Day,“They come because of the high cost of living” that’s not matched by wage increases. According to the Greater Boston Food Bank’s Food Access Report, more than one in three Massachusetts households reported food insecurity in the year of 2024. The report also highlighted the disproportionate impact of food security on Black and Hispanic households, which experience the highest rates of hunger. Additionally, 70 percent of those receiving SNAP benefits are the elderly, disabled, or children. Without the restoration of SNAP benefits, minority communities would be disproportionately impacted, exacerbating the social inequalities already prevalent in the United States.
On October 28, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell led a lawsuit with a coalition of 25 other states against the Trump administration for “unlawfully suspending” SNAP during the government shutdown. On November 19, Campbell sued the Trump administration, arguing that the new restrictions would disqualify legal immigrants from food assistance. A federal judge ruled in favor of Campbell, “ensur[ing] Massachusetts can continue administering SNAP benefits to the children, elders, and people with disabilities who rely on them, without facing devastating financial penalties that threaten the continued operation of this critical program.”
As of November 2025, the federal government shutdown has ended, and full SNAP benefits have been restored in Massachusetts. However, the future of SNAP benefits under the current administration remains uncertain. In the words of Governor Healey, “If you are worried right now about how you are going to feed your family, how you are going to feed your kids, please call Project Bread. You are not alone.” Families in need of food assistance can contact the free and confidential Project Bread FoodSource Hotline at 1-800-645-8333. Additionally, four regional food banks provide food resources in Massachusetts: Greater Boston Food Bank, Worcester County Food Bank, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, and the Merrimack Valley Food Bank. In a time where prices are rising and families are struggling to make ends meet, it is crucial to protect food security and provide resources to support some of the most vulnerable populations in Massachusetts.
