Key facts
- Over 1 million children lost access to SNAP food benefits following the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
- The legislation, approved in July 2025, tightened eligibility rules and increased state screening requirements for food assistance.
- More than 4 million Americans were removed from SNAP between July 2025 and March 2026.
- Arizona experienced the most significant enrollment drop, with over 450,000 residents losing benefits.
- The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) warned that the situation will worsen without congressional intervention.
More than one million children have lost access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits since the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in July 2025, according to a new analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP). The legislation, a Republican reconciliation law, tightened eligibility rules and increased state screening requirements for food assistance. This has led to a significant decline in participation nationwide, with over 4 million Americans removed from SNAP between July 2025 and March 2026. Arizona recorded the largest drop in enrollment, with more than 450,000 residents coming off SNAP, effectively halving participation in the state. Children constitute a substantial portion of those losing benefits, with nearly one in four children in Louisiana no longer receiving assistance, and close to one-fifth of children in Massachusetts and Texas also losing benefits. The CBPP warned that the situation is likely to worsen without immediate congressional action to delay the cost shift to states based on their payment error rates. Representative Ilhan Omar's attempt to reverse the SNAP cuts through an amendment was rejected by the Republican majority. The US Conference of Mayors, representing over 200 cities, has also urged lawmakers to reverse the cuts amid a deepening food security crisis, emphasizing SNAP's role in reducing poverty and supporting local economies.