2026 U.S. Poverty Laser Talks
Congress: Protect children and families by delaying devasting cuts to SNAP
Engage: Right now, the nation’s most effective anti-hunger program — the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — is being dismantled, leaving millions at risk of going hungry.
Problem: Under last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R.1), states will now pay a share of SNAP benefit costs. This unprecedented cost shift puts an estimated 2.4 million people at risk.
Inform: To cover these tens of millions of dollars in new costs, states must now cut SNAP or threaten funding to other important services. Rural communities and low-wage workers will be hurt. Children, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities will lose benefits. These cuts will get locked in this year. While a few states have received a temporary delay, most have not. Every state needs more time to prepare.
Call to Action: Food prices are rising and families are struggling. Yet everyone deserves access to nutritious food. If Congress will not repeal the SNAP cost-shift rule, they must at least delay it for all states until 2030. Will you oppose any Farm Bill or farm-related bill that does not delay this dangerous cut to SNAP?
Congress: Improve the Child Tax Credit for families with low wages
Engage: The Child Tax Credit (CTC) was created to help families with the cost of raising children. Sadly, recent expansions of the CTC have left out those who need it most.
Problem: In 2025’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” Congress declined to improve the CTC to help19 million children whose parents work low wage jobs.
Inform: Congress must fix this discrepancy as soon as possible. Here’s how:
- Change how the CTC accrues with income (“phase-in”) so it is available to more families who are paid the lowest wages.
- Narrow the widening gap between families who get the full credit and those who don’t.
- Remove the CTC refundability cap. Many parents working in low-wage jobs have low income tax liability. Removing the cap would allow them to receive the full benefit of the CTC.
- Pay the credit monthly when family expenses typically are due.
Call to action: Investing in our families and workforce is the best way to achieve our shared goal of healthy and prosperous communities. In any tax legislation this year, will you support these much-needed improvements to the CTC?
Senate ONLY: Improve the Child Tax Credit with the Stronger Start for Working Families Act
Engage: The Child Tax Credit (CTC) has supported parents and children for decades. This bipartisan provision has been our most reliable way to provide parents with the tools they need to meet their children’s basic needs.
Problem: Yet, 19 million children whose parents work in low-wage jobs are excluded from all or part of the credit.
Inform: Currently, parents earning $400,000 receive the full $2,200 credit per child, while parents earning as little as $25,000 per year can receive less than half. The Stronger Start for Working Families Act would mitigate this discrepancy. Instead of the current $2,500 per year minimum income threshold, the bill allows parents to earn their CTC from their first dollar of income. This would provide a much-needed financial boost for families working in low wage jobs. Millions of these families would get an extra $375 in their tax returns each year.
Call to Action: As families continue to struggle to afford basic needs, Congress can and must help. Will you cosponsor the bipartisan Stronger Start for Working Families Act?
Congress: Please invest in housing assistance in the FY27 budget
Engage: Housing affordability and homelessness are urgent challenges. Working families across the country are doing everything right and still can’t afford a place to live.
Problem: Nearly half of all renters spend over 30 percent of their income on housing (“rent-burdened” households).
Inform: Rising costs of rent, food, health care, and other essentials are pushing too many families toward housing instability and homelessness. But this crisis is solvable. Housing Choice Vouchers currently help 2.4 million households stay stably housed and move toward economic security. The program provides flexible supports like rental assistance, landlord incentives, and help with move-in costs. However, chronic underfunding means only one in four eligible households receive assistance.
Call to Action: Congress can strengthen housing stability nationwide. Will you urge appropriators to increase funding for Housing Choice Vouchers to fully renew current vouchers and add 250,000 new vouchers in Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27)?