SNAP cuts proposal endangers Texoma food security
The bill includes changes such as stricter benefits requirements, making refugees ineligible for SNAP, and mandating state payments of 5 to 25 percent for SNAP benefit amounts, which hurts the program's ability to meet increased need during natural disasters and economic crises.
Construction projects in Wichita Falls to boost economy
These measures would result in a decrease in benefit levels, fewer people eligible for food assistance and a significant reduction in the number of people participating in the program.
Wichita Falls Area Food Bank CEO David O'Neil said the SNAP cuts directly hurt the children and families on fixed incomes who are already struggling with hunger in our food bank's 12-county area.
'Out of almost 200 food banks, the Wichita Falls area food bank has the 15th highest hunger rate or food insecurity rate in the entire country. So we're at a point where it's already difficult for many, many of our neighbors to seek assistance and get help,' O'Neil said. 'But the change and the bill that's being presented, through the budget reconciliation, is going to make it even more difficult for our neighbors to be able to find food.'
According to the Urban Institute, the SNAP cost-sharing plan could push nearly 900,000 additional people into poverty during a recession.
The Feeding Texas Network is calling on members of the House Agriculture Committee and all members of the US House to reject these proposed snap cuts, which include the state cost-share plan.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Epoch Times
an hour ago
- Epoch Times
Washington State Sues to Prevent Trump Admin From Accessing Food Aid Immigration Data
Washington state is suing financial services company Fidelity Information Services (FIS) to prevent it from sharing food aid data with the federal government, according to a July 24 lawsuit filed with the State of Washington Thurston County Superior Court. The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) administers the federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and state-funded Food Assistance Program (FAP).
Newsweek
8 hours ago
- Newsweek
Three Weeks That Shook the Trump Presidency
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. It was Fourth of July weekend, and President Donald Trump was on top of the world. Aides privately described it as the best stretch of his presidency—possibly across both terms. He had notched a run of victories that showcased how rapidly and ruthlessly his administration was reshaping American policy and culture. The Supreme Court delivered a decision limiting nationwide injunctions by federal judges—one that Trump called "a monumental victory," unlocking long-dormant campaign pledges like ending birthright citizenship. At the same time, Congress passed his self-branded "big, beautiful" bill—extending 2017 tax cuts, boosting border security funding and slashing programs like Medicaid and SNAP. Abroad, Trump flexed U.S. military might with a strike in Iran that, at least so far, has been met with limited response. NATO allies agreed to raise defense spending to five percent of GDP. The S&P 500 hit record highs. By July 4, Trump's approval rating had climbed to nearly 50 percent — downright stellar for him, in this era of polarization. Among Republicans, his support held firm above 80 percent. As fireworks lit up the D.C. night sky, Trump had plenty to celebrate. He didn't know that within days, a political firestorm would erupt—and for a change, it would be coming from within his own base. Newsweek Illustration/Canva/Getty A Promise Undone For half a year, Trump had delivered on marquee campaign promises—from sweeping ICE raids to trade pacts to deregulation. But for the conspiracy-minded wing of MAGA—the engine of Trump's digital power—one pledge loomed largest: the release of the so-called Epstein files. In February, Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News the Epstein client list was "sitting on my desk." She then distributed binders marked "The Epstein Files: Phase 1" to conservative influencers at the White House, in a photo op meant to show the administration's commitment to transparency. It appeared explosive revelations were coming. Then, silence. Then, on Monday July 7, with the country awakening from its long weekend-induced slumber, the DOJ quietly released a two-page, unsigned memo claiming no Epstein client list existed, no evidence suggested Epstein was murdered in jail, and no additional files would be released. Eleven hours of prison video accompanied the memo—but the footage contained a one‑minute gap blamed on a "camera reset." The memo was meant to put the ordeal to bed. Instead, it did the opposite. Laura Loomer accused Bondi of orchestrating a cover-up. Alex Jones called the memo "sickening," accusing the administration of "covering up child sex crimes." Tucker Carlson labeled the DOJ findings "an insult to everyone who believed in this movement." Steve Bannon put it bluntly, "How does an anti–deep state administration put out something this whitewashed?" Even Trump himself appeared frustrated over how much oxygen the topic had been sucking up, suggesting that while he and his allies used Epstein to great effect as a wedge issue during the campaign, he is less enamored with spending time on litigating the disgraced financier's past — and their past friendship— now that he's president. "MAGA really wouldn't exist without conspiracy theories," said Eric Alterman, journalism professor at Brooklyn College. "These theories don't require evidence. They're about stories people tell themselves to explain why things feel like they're going wrong in their lives." That expectation of dramatic revelations has become a defining feature of MAGA-era politics. From alleged UFO cover-ups to Epstein's supposed "client list," Trump loyalists, including sometimes Trump himself, have long stoked the belief that sinister truths would soon be exposed — just as soon as their leader was back in power. When the government declared the mystery solved, the base erupted. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Deputy Director Dan Bongino leaves after meeting with Republican lawmakers to discuss U.S. President Donald Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill" at the U.S. Capitol on June 25, 2025 in Washington,... The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Deputy Director Dan Bongino leaves after meeting with Republican lawmakers to discuss U.S. President Donald Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill" at the U.S. Capitol on June 25, 2025 in Washington, DC. More Getty Images/AFP Trump Begs, MAGA Burns As the month progressed and outrage escalated, Trump loyalists began turning on each other. On July 9, Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino—long a leading promoter of Epstein conspiracies in his former job as media personality—confronted Bondi in a closed-door White House meeting. Furious that the DOJ memo appeared to shut down any further disclosure, Bongino reportedly threatened to resign. "Bongino is out-of-control furious," one senior official told NBC. "This destroyed his credibility. He's threatening to quit and torch Pam unless she's fired." Trump's Truth Social post on July 12, imploring his supporters not to attack Bondi, backfired immediately. "What's going on with my 'boys' and, in some cases, 'gals'?" he asked, apparently referring to the MAGA-aligned podcasters and influencers with whom he was rapidly losing favor. He defended Bondi and downplayed Epstein as "somebody that nobody cares about." It became the first Trump post ever "ratioed" on his own platform. In Congress, Speaker Mike Johnson abruptly canceled House business, sending lawmakers home for summer early rather than face a vote on Epstein documents. When pressed, he called for "full transparency" and urged Bondi to explain the department's decisions. By mid-July, fractures were visible in public opinion polling. Quinnipiac found that 63 percent of voters disapproved of Trump's Epstein response. Even among Republicans, just 40 percent approved. His support among young men—the backbone of his 2024 online comeback—collapsed. A CBS/YouGov poll showed Trump's net approval among voters aged 18 to 29 dropped from 55 percent in February to 28 percent by July, a remarkable 27-point swing in a matter of months. Joe Rogan, Andrew Schulz, and Tim Dillon — three prominent voices from the manosphere — have begun openly criticizing Donald Trump on their respective podcasts, signaling a shift in the online culture that once helped... Joe Rogan, Andrew Schulz, and Tim Dillon — three prominent voices from the manosphere — have begun openly criticizing Donald Trump on their respective podcasts, signaling a shift in the online culture that once helped power his appeal. More YouTube / X "They voted for him because he met them where they were," said Rachel Janfaza, a researcher who studies Gen Z behavior. "But the message has to match the messenger. They're not seeing results—rent is still unaffordable, jobs are scarce, and their degrees feel obsolete the moment they graduate." Thom Hartmann, left-leaning political commentator and host of The Thom Hartmann Program, said the emotional toll of disappointment was starting to show. "Many Trump supporters have spent years emotionally and socially invested in his mythos... Admitting betrayal or deception requires admitting they were wrong, which comes with deep psychological costs. This accounts for the anguish and conflict we're seeing among the Trump base." On social media, longtime loyalists posted videos of themselves burning red MAGA hats. Others shared screenshots of Epstein files stamped "PHASE 1" and captioned them "where's phase 2?" Why was that stupid binder referred to as 'Phase 1' of Epstein document releases if DOJ believed there to be no client list and no additional information about Epstein's activities? Where is Phase 2? The whole thing is so stupid and ham-fisted. Tell us which intel agencies he… — Sean Davis (@seanmdav) July 8, 2025 Hartmann said the outcome depends on whether more revelations surface: "Original videotapes or photos that are clearly not doctored, first-person testimony by Ghislaine Maxwell, or more former teenage victims going on the record could spell doom for his relationship with his base." But so far, no second wave of documents has arrived. And the blowback continues to metastasize. A clearly rattled White House communications office even issued an on-the-record response to a "South Park" episode skewering the president, keeping it in the news. Anything, it seemed, to take the focus off Epstein. As Trump scrambled to shift the spotlight elsewhere—accusing former President Barack Obama of a capital crime, releasing files on unrelated, long-ago assassinations, demanding the Washington Commanders go back to their old name, and even sending Cabinet officials to kick the tires on Alcatraz's ability to house criminals again—he found that none of the tactics that once insulated him from political fallout could contain the fury this time.
Newsweek
9 hours ago
- Newsweek
Exclusive: Trump Cuts to Hit Rural America Like 'a Tsunami,' Democrat Warns
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Representative April McClain Delaney warned that President Donald Trump's cuts to programs like Medicaid, as well as NPR and PBS, are going to hit rural America like a "tsunami" in an interview with Newsweek. Delaney's Maryland congressional district contains some of the areas that could be hit hardest by Trump's policies. It spans from the state's rural western panhandle, which she says could bear the brunt of new rescission cuts, to the Washington, D.C., suburbs, home to federal workers who have lost their jobs amid the mass firings of federal workers. She first won election to the Sixth District last November, defeating Republican Neil Parrott by about 6 percentage points in a light-blue district that has been competitive in recent elections. Delaney spoke with Newsweek about how she believes cuts in the Republican rescission package and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act would affect constituents in rural areas in the district and across the country. "When you look at all of these funding freezes on our government employees on our national parks, but also Medicaid, SNAP, and then start looking at some of the other rescissions that it's just a tsunami that's about to hit rural America," Delaney said. Photo-illustration by Newsweek/Associated Press/Canva How PBS, NPR Cuts Will Affect Rural America Funding cuts for public media, such as PBS and NPR, which were included in a rescissions package passed by Congress earlier in July, could have devastating impacts on rural Americans, Delaney said. Republicans argued that funding for these programs was a waste of taxpayer dollars and have accused the networks of pushing left-leaning programming. Critics, however, say public funding was a lifeline to communities that relied on their local NPR affiliates for news or PBS for free children's programming. "When you look at the community that really relies on trusted news, one of the last trusted bastions of news is local news," Delaney said. These cuts may have an impact on Amber Alerts and Emergency Broadcast System alerts, she said. Recent flooding in Western Maryland's Allegany County—a rural, conservative county inside Delaney's district—underscores the importance of having robust local radio news, she said. "We had floods in Allegany County, and luckily, because of the emergency alerts, they kept the kids in the school. They didn't release them early. And as the rising waters went, I think, nine feet in 45 minutes, the kids went from the first floor, the second floor to the third floor, luckily were rescued and no one was hurt," she said. "When you think about how alerts are really facilitated by our broadcast stations, particularly these rural communities, it's a pretty big deal." Delaney, who spent much of her career advocating for children in media at nonprofits like Common Sense Media, said cuts to PBS will have consequences for children across the country. "I really look at how this funding will impact rural America in terms of broadcast stations and in particular educational programming for our kids. PBS is really the only free programming, educational programming that these kids receive," she said. "While you might hear some of my GOP colleagues [say] you can stream Sesame Street. Well, I hate to say this, our most disadvantaged kids in rural America, they can't afford to have a streaming Netflix account, much less have rural broadband." Delaney predicted there would be a "significant outcry" from rural Americans if their local stations go under as a result of the cuts and that Democrats would eye the restoration of this funding if they retake control of Congress in the midterms. The loss of these local stations would be a "loss of our community heart," she said, noting that they have historically had community obligations and public interest standards. "I still think there's that residue reporting on the games from the football game at the high school or talking about the local fairs or the rodeo that's going to be in town or what have you," she said. "There is something that's a big community builder. In these smaller stations in rural and even bigger suburban America." Cuts to Medicaid are another challenge facing rural America, she said, noting that one in seven families in her district relies on the program for health care. "What are you going to do in the long term in terms of rural health care and rural hospitals potentially closing? she said. "But also, you know, are all these premiums going to go up? Right, and what's the impact?" How Trump's Agenda Is Affecting Federal Workers Maryland's Sixth District also encompasses parts of the D.C. suburbs and is home to more than 35,000 government workers who may be affected by cuts to the federal bureaucracy as part of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). So far, at least 260,000 federal workers have left their jobs since Trump returned to office in January, whether they were fired, retired early, or took a buyout, according to Reuters. Delaney said many of them are still looking for jobs and have reached out to her office. Health care is a key concern for these federal workers, she said. "Many of them are concerned about the long-term, how they're going to have health care, in addition to being able to find new jobs," she said. There are concerns that these "well-educated and well-adjusted" workers may be taken to the private sector or even leave the country as they seek new employment, she said. "There are other big concerns about workforce development and how are we going to look at maybe figuring out ways that they can retool some of their skills. I do think that many of our state governments might be able to fill in the gap for some of these workers. But, their concerns are, of course affordability, figuring out their next step and interestingly enough, I've started hear more about AI," she said. Delaney Slams 'Foolish' Foreign Aid Cuts Foreign aid cuts have been "one of the most foolish acts" of the Trump administration, Delaney said. "Our world is on fire right now and we have traditionally always been the one that has stepped in to help, whether it's vaccinations, whether it is feeding women and children, whether it was displacement during times of war. But there is something in soft diplomacy," she said. "What that means is that you are a trusted beacon of light. You are a source that people can depend upon around the world. And you do have more stability and peace when you have that." She warned that there is a "lack of trust" in the United States on the global stage right now, and that other countries, such as China, are "zooming in to fill that void." She described this foreign aid as the "cheapest part of our defense budget." "It is probably some of the most foolish cuts I've ever seen in my life, and it's going to impact us globally, but that's going to come to haunt us domestically as well," she said. Delaney on Trust in Government Delaney also said her work in Congress is focused on restoring trust in the government amid a period of heightened "anger." "It's really impacting the trust that people have in if our country can function and if our county can feel like the people who are elected officials are trustworthy," she said. Elected officials need to take the time to "understand why there's anger" and why people feel like they have not been heard or met in the moment. "My biggest concern and my biggest priority in Congress is to find ways to reestablish that trust, that trust with the American people, that trust on a community level," she said. "And I don't think it is a top-down—I think it's going to be a bottom-up within our communities building back, you know, across our communities and understanding in our elected officials." She said she plans to ask her constituents for their views on the issues so that her vote can reflect their thoughts. "Our world is crazy, but the last thing I'm going to say is I believe that we're going be OK. It's going to be choppy, it's going to be hard, but that we are going to swim through this, but it's a difficult ride at the moment," she said.
