The proposal would change how income is calculated for food assistance, but faces an uncertain path in Congress.

Organ Mountain News report

WASHINGTON - Sen. Martin Heinrich is cosponsoring legislation that would change how income is calculated for people who receive both Social Security and food assistance, aiming to stop annual cost-of-living increases from reducing or ending their SNAP benefits.

The proposal, called the COLAs Don’t Count Act, would exclude Social Security cost-of-living adjustments, known as COLAs, when states determine eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Under current rules, even small increases in Social Security payments can push some recipients over SNAP income limits, leading to reduced benefits or full loss of eligibility.

“We should be making it easier, not harder, for New Mexicans receiving SNAP benefits to put food on the table,” Heinrich said in a statement. “Unfortunately, too many people who rely on both Social Security and SNAP are being punished for annual Cost of Living Adjustments, leading to a decrease or complete elimination of their overall SNAP benefits.”

More than 450,000 people in New Mexico use SNAP each month, according to Heinrich’s office. That includes more than 65,000 seniors and nearly 200,000 children. The average participant receives about $190 per month, or about $6.24 per day.

Social Security COLAs are intended to help recipients keep up with rising prices. But because SNAP eligibility is tied to income, those same increases can trigger benefit cuts.

In 2023, Social Security benefits rose 8.7%, the largest increase in more than 40 years. The average monthly check increased by more than $140. That same year, an estimated 28,000 SNAP households nationwide lost eligibility because of COLA-related income changes, and about 36% of SNAP recipients saw their benefits drop by an average of $32 per month.

Any reduction in food assistance increases the risk of food insecurity, according to Heinrich’s office. Supporters of the bill argue that removing COLAs from SNAP income calculations would allow recipients to absorb inflation increases without losing access to food assistance.

The bill is led in the Senate by Sens. Peter Welch of Vermont and Adam Schiff of California. Other cosponsors include Sens. Alex Padilla of California, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Ron Wyden of Oregon and Ed Markey of Massachusetts. In the House, Reps. Gwen Moore of Wisconsin and Judy Chu of California are sponsoring the companion bill.

The proposal has not yet received a cost estimate, and its chances are unclear in a Congress with a crowded agenda and frequent disputes over federal benefit programs. Changes to SNAP often draw scrutiny over spending levels, eligibility rules and administrative complexity.

Heinrich has supported full funding for SNAP in past budgets and has opposed proposals to cut the program. This bill would focus specifically on how income is counted, rather than on overall benefit levels.