Repeal the ban on food stamps for people with drug convictions

A drug conviction should never be the basis to deny a person their most basic needs. Yet for decades, Congress has placed a lifetime ban on people with drug convictions from accessing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP or food stamps).

Repealing this cruel ban is one of our top priorities. We just took a major step forward by collaborating with Members of Congress to introduce the RESTORE Act. It fully repeals the federal ban and ends the ability of states to continue to deny SNAP eligibility due to a felony drug conviction.

We are fighting for it to be included and passed in the Farm Bill, which is being negotiated right now by Congress. Tell House and Senate Agriculture Committee Leadership to include the RESTORE Act in the Farm Bill so that no one goes hungry because of a past drug felony conviction.

Take Action

Your Message

Subject

Dear Congressional staffer,

Message Body

Please urge your boss to include the RESTORE Act in the Farm Bill and support repealing the lifetime ban on individuals with a past felony drug conviction from receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The RESTORE (Re-Entry Support Through Opportunities for Resources and Essentials) Act fully repeals this federal ban and eliminates the ability of states to continue to deny SNAP eligibility due to a felony drug conviction. The legislation also codifies a USDA administrative waiver to SNAP state agencies that allows individuals to apply for SNAP 30 days prior to their release from incarceration.
 
In 1996, Congress imposed a lifetime ban on individuals convicted of a drug felony from receiving SNAP. Although the 1996 law includes a provision that enables states to opt-out, state policymakers must affirmatively do so and 22 states continue to disqualify people for SNAP. The drug felony ban on SNAP imposed by Congress undermines efforts by individuals striving to transition successfully into the community and provide for their families. Congress has the responsibility to repeal this cruel policy.
 
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/). The SNAP drug felony ban perpetuates racial disparities in the criminal legal system and exacerbates inequities in the distribution of nutritional assistance as well.  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, which means we are punishing mothers and children and exacerbating hunger and poverty by maintaining the SNAP drug felony ban (source: https://sentencingproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/A-Lifetime-of-Punishment.pdf). Restoring access to SNAP is an essential step to help provide basic support, such as food, to individuals and families with children who are struggling.
 
Access to programs such as SNAP also provides crucial support for formerly incarcerated individuals as they transition back into society. Individuals who are transitioning from involvement in the criminal legal system often experience food insecurity. Denying basic nutritional assistance on account of a past conviction only worsens hunger for individuals, as well as their families and dependents who see less overall benefit when a parent or caregiver is denied because of this ban. The ban applies to both SNAP nutritional assistance as well as SNAP E&T, which helps individuals with employment-related training and retention supports. Denying people basic assistance with food and securing employment because of a prior conviction not only works against successful reentry for individuals but fails to improve public safety for communities.
 
Repealing the SNAP drug felony ban would help strengthen the ability of people to reenter society successfully and thereby reduce possible recidivism risks associated with food insecurity. 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. Please give people the resources they need for successful reentry by including the RESTORE Act in the Farm Bill and supporting the repeal of the SNAP drug felony ban.

Sincerely,

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

Your Information

Salutation *

Alternate Salutation

Most elected officials’ constituent email systems accept a very limited set of salutations. Please select the one you would most prefer.

First name *

Last name *

E-mail address *

Address *

Address Line 2

City *

State *

Zip Code *

Phone

* Drug Policy Alliance is committed to protecting your privacy and will never share your email address.

If you sign and have not already registered, you will receive periodic updates and communications from the Drug Policy Alliance.

If you take action and have not already registered, you will receive periodic updates and communications from the Drug Policy Alliance.

If you donate and have not already registered, you will receive periodic updates and communications from the Drug Policy Alliance.