Washington, D.C. — In a pivotal full House vote this morning, Rep. Mike Lawler voted to approve a reckless federal budget reconciliation bill that would gut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by roughly $300 billion. This extreme measure would devastate food aid for millions while handing huge tax cuts to corporations and the wealthiest Americans.

In New York’s 17th District, 18,264 households rely on SNAP benefits — nearly 7 percent of all households in the district. If the bill becomes law, an estimated 10,000 residents could lose access to critical food assistance. The bill passed by just one vote; Rep. Lawler’s opposition could have stopped it.

In response, Food & Water Watch’s New York State Director Laura Shindell issued the following statement:

“Rep. Lawler sided with billionaires instead of the struggling families of the Hudson Valley. His vote will hurt over ten thousand of his own constituents who depend on SNAP to survive. At a time when food prices are soaring, this cruel decision shows exactly where his priorities lie — and it’s not with the people he was elected to serve.”