End the ban on public assistance for drug convictions

For decades, there’s been a federal lifetime ban on people with drug convictions from accessing nutritional and other forms of critical public assistance. Denying people and their families these crucial benefits have had disastrous consequences, depriving them of the support they need to survive.

The MEAL Act would lift the ban – it was introduced in the House last May, it was just introduced in the Senate, and we have a shot at getting it included in the budget reconciliation package being negotiated right now.

Help us build support by telling your Senators to cosponsor the bill and fight to get in included in the budget.

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Your Message

Subject

Dear Senator,

Message Body

Please cosponsor the Making Essentials Affordable and Lawful (MEAL) Act and advocate that the bill be included in the reconciliation package. This bill would immediately repeal the lifetime ban on individuals with a past felony drug conviction from receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and/or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). The MEAL Act also supports reinstatement of SNAP assistance for individuals transitioning back to the community following a period of incarceration.  
  
In 1996, Congress imposed a lifetime ban on individuals convicted of a drug felony from receiving SNAP and/or TANF. Although Congress gave states the ability to opt-out as part of the 1996 ban, many states still bar individuals and impose onerous and costly requirements that create barriers to restoring assistance. The drug felony ban on SNAP and TANF imposed by Congress undermines efforts by individuals striving to transition successfully into the community and provide for their families. Congress has the responsibility to waive this cruel policy during this time of extreme hardship for people who would otherwise be eligible for SNAP and TANF assistance. This ban carries a disproportionate impact. According to The Sentencing Project, African American adults are 5.9 times more likely to be incarcerated than whites and Hispanics are 3.1 times more likely (source: https://www.sentencingproject.org/publications/un-report-on-racial-disparities/). Women are more likely to be incarcerated for drug crimes - 25 percent of women and only 14 percent of men in state prison have been convicted of a drug offense (source: https://www.sentencingproject.org/publications/incarcerated-women-and-girls/). Women also comprise the vast majority of recipients for SNAP and TANF, which means we are punishing mothers and children and exacerbating hunger and poverty (source: https://sentencingproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/A-Lifetime-of-Punishment.pdf). Restoring access to these programs is an essential step to help provide basic support, such as food, to individuals and families with children hit hard by COVID-19 and the economic downturn.  
  
Access to programs such as SNAP and TANF also provides crucial support for formerly incarcerated individuals as they transition back into society. Even in ordinary times, formerly incarcerated individuals are confronted with too many legal barriers and other disqualifications as a result of a criminal conviction and are far more likely to experience unemployment because of a criminal record. During this time of crisis, employment opportunities and pathways to prosperity or at least out of poverty for formerly incarcerated people are much harder to secure. Waiving the drug felony ban would enable people re-entering society to focus on finding employment and housing rather than having to focus on meeting their basic needs such as their next meal. One study found that 91 percent of individuals suffer from food insecurity upon release (source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23514079/). In addition, recently released individuals incarcerated for a drug offense are 10 percent less likely to recidivate when provided full access to benefits such as SNAP and TANF. When people can secure food, they are likely to avoid malnutrition and see a decrease in health care costs, which will help people continue to progress.

Please give people the resources they need for survival by cosponsoring the MEAL Act and advocate that the bill be included in the reconciliation package.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]
[Your Address]

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