The President’s budget released today does little to reflect what should be our nation's priorities. Any modest improvements are overshadowed by cost-cutting measures that shortchange the 35 million Americans struggling against hunger, but make room for tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest.

The proposed budget would eliminate food stamp eligibility for approximately 300,000 people in working families with children, which are low-income but not receiving cash assistance. This also reduces the number of low-income children receiving school breakfast and lunch. Another proposal eliminates the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), a program that provides nutrition assistance to more than 450,000 low-income seniors trying to make ends meet. Many vulnerable seniors need both food stamps and Commodity Supplemental Food Program aid. This budget should bolster, not diminish help to seniors barely making ends meet.

Once again, the President proposes to limit automatic WIC eligibility for Medicaid recipients and reduce funding for nutrition education and WIC services. This will reduce access and quality of services to low-income mothers, infants, and children who are nutritionally at risk.

It also eliminates funding for the Community Services Block Grant program, which includes the Community Food and Nutrition Program that provides federal support for anti-hunger and nutrition advocacy groups at the local, state and national level.

With the coming reauthorization of the Farm Bill, this budget proposal misses an opportunity to address hunger and poverty in the U.S. by strengthening food assistance programs.

FRAC will have ongoing analysis available on its Web site (www.frac.org).