In a pivotal full House vote this morning, Representative Ryan Mackenzie (PA-7) voted to pass a highly controversial federal budget reconciliation bill that would cut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — the country’s primary hunger prevention tool for low-income families — by about $300 billion. The huge cuts, along with hundreds of billions more in cuts to Medicaid, are intended to pay for massive tax cuts for corporations and the very wealthiest Americans. The bill passed the House by only one vote — Rep. Mackenzie’s opposition alone could have prevented its passage this morning.

Currently more than 40,011 households utilize the SNAP program in Mackenzie’s PA-7 Congressional district in Eastern Pennsylvania. Access to critical nutrition assistance and hunger prevention for many of these low-income families is now in serious jeopardy. An analysis by the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities found at least 25,000 people are at risk of losing some SNAP food assistance in the district.

In response, Food & Water Watch Pennsylvania State Director Megan McDonough  issued the following statement:

“Representative Mackenzie showed not only the people of his district but people across the country that their access to food is less important than passing tax cuts for the rich. This is a direct attack on the basic health and wellbeing of his own constituents here in Eastern Pennsylvania. By voting not once, not twice, but three times to strip the most vulnerable of his constituents of their vital SNAP benefits, Mackenzie has shown us who his allegiance lies with: wealthy corporate interests. This is abhorrent and we will not let this decision disappear silently. Pennsylvanians need to know how their representatives vote, especially when it’s in direct contradiction to their most basic needs.”