LANSING, Mich., May 18 2020 – State Rep. Donna Lasinski (D-Scio Township) has recently introduced House Resolution 264, which urges the federal government to reconsider and approve a waiver submitted by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) regarding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). MDHHS had submitted a federal waiver to exclude the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation [commonly referred to as the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)] from counting as income under the SNAP eligibility requirements.
“In the midst of a global pandemic, when our road to recovery will be difficult and hundreds of thousands of Michiganders will be looking for work, they should not be additionally burdened with food insecurity,” said Lasinski. “At a time when our community is struggling, we must ensure that families can afford to put food on their table.”
The federal government denied this waiver, and as a result, thousands of Michiganders that are receiving their PUA benefits, and rely on SNAP to feed themselves and their families will lose their SNAP eligibility.