Assembly Democrats Denounce Trump and Republican Cuts to Food Assistance for Millions of California Families

SACRAMENTO—  Today, California Democrats spoke out against President Trump and Republicans’ historic, punishing cuts to food programs for families, which take away nearly a billion dollars in much-needed groceries and nutritional assistance from California parents and children.

Republicans in Congress recently slashed billions from SNAP and imposed harsh new eligibility requirements through Trump’s so-called “megabill,” threatening access to food for millions of Californians. These cuts hit vulnerable groups the hardest, including children who depend on school meals and older adults living on fixed incomes.

Today, California Democrats criticized Trump and Republicans during the Assembly Floor Session, condemning the GOP for making heartless cuts to pay for tax breaks for billionaires. Members voted to pass Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 3, which urges Congress to avoid cuts to SNAP.

What Speaker Robert Rivas Says

“Everyone should be outraged by Trump and Republicans for taking food and groceries away from hundreds of thousands of families, all to pay for trillions in tax breaks for the richest Americans. This heartless policy will hurt parents and children across California, from the coast to the mountains, no matter your political party, and we must condemn it and stop it.”

What SJR 3 Co-Author Assemblymember Lisa Calderon Says

“There is nothing big or beautiful about taking food off the tables of hardworking Americans. The recent dismantling of SNAP and other food assistance programs is a direct attack on the millions of Californians who rely on CalFresh to feed their families.”

What Progressive Caucus President and SJR 3 Co-Author Assemblymember Alex Lee Says

“The GOP’s megabill decimates social safety net programs like CalFresh, gutting essential services to fund tax breaks for the ultra-rich. By imposing cruel and bureaucratic red tape, the federal government will slash benefits for those who need food aid the most. Roughly one in five families is already struggling with food insecurity, and even more people will suffer from hunger under Trump’s catastrophic budget cuts. CalFresh is a lifeline for over 5 million Californians, and I will keep fighting to ensure that low-income families have access to affordable and nutritious meals. As Chair of the Assembly Human Services Committee, it is my top priority to protect anti-poverty programs and help Californians weather the affordability crisis.”

What Assemblymember Dr. Darshana Patel Says

"Colleagues, it goes without saying that food security is not a luxury. It’s a necessity. In San Diego County alone, over 330,000 residents rely on CalFresh benefits, including tens of thousands of children, seniors, veterans, and college students. People who are in school, who need child care, and people who can’t work because they have a disability. Local food banks are already strained, and cuts to SNAP would only deepen the crisis in our communities. We’re a state that grows so much of the nation’s food, yet millions of our residents, including 1 in 4 San Diegans, face food insecurity. This is not just a moral issue—it's an economic one. Every dollar in SNAP generates up to 1.8 dollars in local economic activity. That means that these cuts would hurt not just families, but also our small businesses, local grocers, and our broader community. Protecting SNAP is about protecting community stability and dignity. It’s about ensuring that no one, in any of our communities, has to choose between paying rent and feeding their family.”

Trump’s Megabill Hurts Working Families, Helps Billionaires

Trump and Republicans in Congress have enacted a federal budget that guts the essential programs California families rely on most, including food assistance, health care, and education. 

Changes to SNAP eligibility would slash $1.25 billion a year to food assistance in California, and shift nearly $4 billion onto the state and counties. At least 735,000 Californians could lose CalFresh benefits, leaving more families and children without the food they need to live and learn.

These cuts to food assistance come as Republicans and Trump target California with additional reductions to essential programs and services. More than 3 million Californians could lose Medi-Cal coverage under new eligibility and work requirements, and Planned Parenthood clinics face an increased risk of closure under new Medicaid rules. Funding for education, teacher training, and afterschool programs has also been reduced by $939 million, threatening the existence of educational opportunities statewide. 

About the Resolution

The Assembly voted with broad, bipartisan support to pass SJR 3, a resolution introduced by Senators Jesse Arreguín (D-Berkeley) and Akilah Weber Pierson (D-San Diego), and co-authored by Assemblymembers Lisa Calderon (D-Whittier) and Alex Lee (D-Milpitas), urging Congress to avoid any cuts to SNAP. 

The resolution underscores the importance of food assistance in California, which helps over 5 million residents each month access nutritious food while supporting local grocery stores, farmworkers, and farmers across the state. 

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, every $1 of SNAP funding generates $1.54 to $1.80 in local economic activity, strengthening California’s communities and economy. Assembly Democrats are united in urging Congress to reject Trump’s devastating cuts and are committed to keeping food on the tables of California families.

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