Passed by unanimous consent of the SDUSA NEC

WHEREAS, access to adequate food is a basic human necessity and is essential to the health, well-being, and dignity of every person; and

WHEREAS, food banks, food pantries, religious organizations, nonprofit organizations, and countless volunteers provide indispensable emergency assistance to millions of Americans experiencing food insecurity; and

WHEREAS, these charitable organizations were established to respond to temporary emergencies and were not intended to serve as the primary long-term solution to persistent hunger; and

WHEREAS, millions of Americans continue to experience food insecurity due to low wages, rising food costs, unexpected medical expenses, unemployment, disability, economic instability, and other financial hardships; and

WHEREAS, the continued reliance upon emergency food assistance demonstrates the need for policies that address the root causes of hunger rather than solely its symptoms; and

WHEREAS, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known through the use of Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, has helped millions of Americans purchase groceries and reduce food insecurity; and

WHEREAS, the current means-tested structure of SNAP requires many applicants to navigate income verification requirements, eligibility determinations, and administrative procedures that may discourage participation or prevent eligible individuals from receiving assistance; and

WHEREAS, a universal food benefit program would eliminate eligibility barriers, reduce administrative complexity, minimize stigma associated with receiving assistance, and ensure that every American has access to a basic monthly food benefit; and

WHEREAS, universal public benefit programs have long existed within the United States through institutions such as public education, transportation infrastructure, and Social Security, demonstrating that broadly available public investments can strengthen society while operating within a market-based economy; and

WHEREAS, America possesses one of the world’s most productive agricultural systems and produces sufficient food to feed its population, making food access primarily a matter of public policy rather than national food scarcity; and

WHEREAS, access to nutritious food improves educational achievement, workplace productivity, physical health, mental health, and overall quality of life while reducing many long-term social and economic costs associated with chronic hunger; and

WHEREAS, reducing hunger represents both a humanitarian responsibility and a sound economic investment that can strengthen families, communities, and the nation as a whole;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the SDUSA supports the principle that no person in the United States should experience hunger due to financial hardship or unnecessary administrative barriers to obtaining food assistance; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the SDUSA encourages Congress to study and develop legislation establishing a universal monthly food benefit available to every American through the existing Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) system or a comparable national food assistance program; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that any such proposal should preserve the role of food banks and charitable organizations as emergency resources while reducing long-term dependence upon emergency food assistance through universal access to nutritious food; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Congress should evaluate methods of financing universal food benefits in a fiscally responsible manner while maintaining the long-term sustainability of the program; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that SDUSA shall make the elimination of hunger through universal food benefits a legislative priority.