Abby J. Leibman, Author at Ms. Magazine

The Trump Administration’s Latest Power Play: Starving Americans to Secure Democrats’ Submission

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 16:44:18 +0000

As the federal government lurches toward a second month of shutdown, SNAP is dominating the headlines. In a moment marked by fear, confusion and misinformation, the Trump administration and Republican leaders in Congress are offering plenty of inflammatory rhetoric—but little real problem-solving.

The Trump administration is playing politics with people’s basic needs by claiming there is no funding for November SNAP benefits. The truth is that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has complete control over the contingency fund for SNAP, and they can and must deploy it immediately.

The post The Trump Administration’s Latest Power Play: Starving Americans to Secure Democrats’ Submission appeared first on Ms. Magazine.

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Historic Cuts to SNAP Deepen the War on Women

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 22:12:31 +0000

Republicans in the House and Senate scrambled to pass legislation that will cut $184 billion from SNAP through 2034—by far the largest cut to SNAP in the program’s history—to finance tax cuts for the wealthy big businesses. They also hope to increase funding for pursuit of immigrants.

This extremist budget will drive millions of people into poverty and hunger. It also represents a full-throated assault on women—particularly single mothers, for whom SNAP has been a lifeline.

The post Historic Cuts to SNAP Deepen the War on Women appeared first on Ms. Magazine.

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Beyond the Federal Budget: Hunger, Misogyny and the Absurdity of it All

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 19:22:28 +0000

Extreme House Republicans have been dangling the threat of a government shutdown for months, playing politics with the lives of real people. In addition to being disruptive, wasteful and unnecessary, a government shutdown would have a deep and scarring impact on those facing food insecurity and poverty. This is not a game.

Resistance to safety net programs like the expanded child tax credit, SNAP and WIC is rooted in racist, misogynistic, tired and offensive stereotypes that blame and shame people, rather than help them when they need it most.

The post Beyond the Federal Budget: Hunger, Misogyny and the Absurdity of it All appeared first on Ms. Magazine.

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The Next Battlefront in the War Against Women: Fighting for Congress to Fully Fund WIC

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 00:12:50 +0000

Leaders in Congress agreed on a topline figure to fund the government for the next fiscal year. But it is certainly no cause for celebration. The long-overdue agreement will continue most of last year’s levels, while providing enormous boosts for the Pentagon. With rising costs, last year’s funding levels are not enough for federal safety net programs to meet the needs of struggling Americans. Simply put, more people need more help and they will not get it. This is particularly true among single mothers—40 percent of whom needlessly struggle with food insecurity.

It's all part of Republicans' plan to both restrict abortion access and cut nutrition assistance from low-income mothers, infants and young children—creating a new wave of the feminization of poverty.

The post The Next Battlefront in the War Against Women: Fighting for Congress to Fully Fund WIC appeared first on Ms. Magazine.

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A Government Shutdown Would Be Deadly for Hungry and Food-Insecure Americans

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 14:38:38 +0000

Congress is once again at a complete gridlock, barreling toward a government shutdown. Pundits are placing bets about the length of a potential shutdown, which party will cave first, and which government programs will be brought to a standstill.

But what has been minimized by some as merely a political temper tantrum will also have a deep and scarring impact on the 40 million Americans facing hunger.

Programs like SNAP, WIC and the child tax credit work effectively when they are sufficiently funded. Oh, and every dollar invested in WIC generates about $2.50 in healthcare cost savings. Shouldn’t this be a no-brainer?

The post A Government Shutdown Would Be Deadly for Hungry and Food-Insecure Americans appeared first on Ms. Magazine.

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Who Was Dealt Out of the Debt Ceiling Deal?

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 15:32:02 +0000

On June 3, President Biden signed the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (FRA) into law, allowing Americans to breathe a sigh of relief that we managed to avoid a catastrophic economic situation. But to agree to this compromise, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) insisted on several detrimental and dangerous changes to anti-poverty programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.

Plain and simple, these changes will increase hunger and hardship among the most vulnerable Americans. As usual, their impact will be felt most acutely by women, particularly women of color. The debt ceiling bill was far from perfect, and the fight for justice is far from over.

The post Who Was Dealt Out of the Debt Ceiling Deal? appeared first on Ms. Magazine.

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More Than a Holiday Wish: Ending Hunger in America

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 22:50:46 +0000

In communities across America, the holidays inspire food drives, meals served to the unhoused and donations to food pantries. But by enacting a broad and thoughtful national strategy to end hunger, we can envision a future where the season’s holidays no longer require a tradition of well-meaning interventions by an overwhelmed charitable sector.

The post More Than a Holiday Wish: Ending Hunger in America appeared first on Ms. Magazine.

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40 Percent of Single Moms Face Food Insecurity. The Fall of Roe Will Plunge Them Deeper Into Poverty

Tue, 26 Jul 2022 19:31:00 +0000

The landscape of “abortion deserts” in this country now glaringly resembles the map of where we see the highest rates of food insecurity. The people forced to seek abortion care hundreds of miles away from their homes are the same parents skipping meals so their kids can eat, scrambling to fulfill SNAP work requirements and grocery shopping with calculators to stretch their government benefits as much as possible.

The post 40 Percent of Single Moms Face Food Insecurity. The Fall of Roe Will Plunge Them Deeper Into Poverty appeared first on Ms. Magazine.

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A Hungry Thanksgiving For Too Many Military Families

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 19:40:00 +0000

As we rush to supermarkets and plan our holiday meals, one simple, stunning fact should give us all pause: Tens of thousands of America’s military families don’t know if they’ll have enough to eat tomorrow, much less on Thanksgiving.

The post A Hungry Thanksgiving For Too Many Military Families appeared first on Ms. Magazine.

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Advancing Solutions to End Hunger Among Military Families and Veterans

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 20:27:00 +0000

Military families face unique financial challenges and are thus vulnerable to food insecurity. This is felt acutely among women veterans, veterans of color and military spouses, who are typically women.

Not only has hunger among military families and veterans been a problem for years—rising to new heights during the pandemic—policymakers have repeatedly failed to take even the most basic action to respond to it.

The post Advancing Solutions to End Hunger Among Military Families and Veterans appeared first on Ms. Magazine.

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