EXPLAINER
Proof exhibits Jeffries’s assertion that about 20 % of veteran households depend on meals stamps is generally false.
By
Revealed On 13 Might 2025
The chief of the Democrats in america Home of Representatives, Hakeem Jeffries, has slammed Home Republicans for contemplating cuts to federal security internet programmes, stating that they’d influence veterans.
“About 20 % of households with veterans rely on supplemental dietary meals help,” the consultant for New York’s eighth Congressional District mentioned on Thursday, referring to the Supplemental Vitamin Help Program (SNAP), typically known as meals stamps.
Jeffries’s assertion adopted information studies that Home Republicans are pushing to restrict future SNAP benefit will increase, add further work necessities and shift some SNAP prices – which traditionally have been solely paid by the federal authorities – to states.
Jeffries cited an inaccurate determine. The share of veterans counting on SNAP advantages is about 8 %, in keeping with an April 2 report from the Middle on Finances and Coverage Priorities, a liberal assume tank.
Jeffries’s workplace didn’t present proof to again up his assertion.
The Middle on Finances and Coverage Priorities report cited Division of Agriculture knowledge exhibiting that 11 % of veterans aged 18 to 64 nationwide skilled food insecurity from 2015 to 2019. The division outlined meals insecurity as “restricted or unsure entry to sufficient meals” due to an absence of financial sources. The division discovered that veterans had been 7 % extra doubtless than nonveterans to expertise meals insecurity after controlling for a spread of socioeconomic and demographic traits.
The centre’s report used US Census Bureau knowledge from 2021 to 2023 to estimate the variety of veterans residing in households that obtained any SNAP advantages through the 12 months earlier than being surveyed.
The report estimated that greater than 1.2 million veterans lived in households receiving SNAP advantages, which is 8 % of the entire inhabitants of 16.2 million US veterans throughout that interval.
Luis Nunez, a analysis analyst with the Middle on Finances and Coverage Priorities and creator of its report, mentioned the 8 % covers all veterans whether or not they dwell alone or with others.
The best proportion of veterans on meals stamps in any state was 14 % in Oregon, adopted by 11 % in Louisiana, New Mexico and West Virginia.
Nationally, 8% of veterans obtain meals stamps; no state is greater than 14%
Information from just a few years earlier confirmed decrease percentages than the Middle on Finances and Coverage Priorities report.
The Rand Company assume tank studied knowledge from 2015 to 2020 and located 4.9 % of veterans nationwide lived in households receiving SNAP advantages sooner or later within the earlier 12 months. A 2022 Authorities Accountability Workplace report discovered 6.5 % of all veterans obtained SNAP advantages in 2019. And the Agriculture Division discovered that in 2018 and 2019, the typical was 6.6 %.
Our ruling
Jeffries mentioned, “About 20 % of households with veterans rely on” the Supplemental Vitamin Help Program.
An April 2 research discovered that 8 % of veterans within the US depend on SNAP advantages. No state had a share greater than 14 %.
Research with knowledge from just a few years earlier present charges from 4.9 % to six.6 %.
There’s a component of fact that veterans face meals insecurity at the next stage than nonveterans. However the assertion ignores essential info that might give a unique impression. So we fee the assertion principally false.
