Rep. Dan Goldman, Assemblymember Grace Lee, Local Community Service Organization Condemn Devastating Impact of Republican Food Assistance Cuts on AAPI New Yorkers

 

 

NEW YORK, NY — Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) and Assemblymember Grace Lee hosted a press conference today alongside 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, the Chinese American Planning Council, Hamilton Madison House, Henry Street Settlement, and University Settlement to condemn the food assistance cuts in the Republican Big Ugly Bill for Billionaires, as well as the impact they will have on AAPI small businesses, food banks, and New Yorkers. They were also joined by local NYC-area food banks, including UA3, Rethink Food, and Vision Urbana. 

 

“Rather than making costs more affordable as they promised, Republicans’ Big Ugly Bill forBillionaires slashes food assistance and health care for the most vulnerable, all to pay fortax cuts for the ultra-wealthy,” Congressman Dan Goldman said. “In communities like Chinatown and Sunset Park that are built on small businesses and depend on Medicaid and food assistance, these cuts are devastating. New York Republicans are pulling up the ladder to the middle class and abandoning the very communities they claim to represent. I’m proud to stand with Assemblymember Lee and leaders from our city’s AAPI community to call out the harm and to keep fighting back.” 

 

Assemblymember Grace Lee said, “Trump and Republicans in Congress have launched yet another cruel and calculated attack on our most vulnerable communities by slashing the SNAP program. Trump’s 'Big Ugly Bill' threatens the ability of hardworking families and seniors in Chinatown to put food on the table. We’ve heard from local organizations getting calls from terrified residents, some even expressing thoughts of suicide. Congressman Dan Goldman and I have come together today with the community to sound the alarm on these devastating, dangerous, and deeply harmful cuts that will hurt our Asian American community who rely on this safety net.” 

 

The Republican reconciliation bill will be devastating for AAPI communities across New York, stripping food assistance from over 300,000 New Yorkers and forcing the city and state to fill the gap, draining resources from small business support, public safety, and infrastructure. In neighborhoods like Chinatown, SNAP is a critical part of the local economy, supporting food banks, small businesses, and jobs. Every dollar in SNAP generates over $1.50 in economic activity, yet Republicans have slashed the program and used the savings to hand massive tax breaks to billionaires, increase ICE funding by 300 percent, and raise the federal debt by over $4.1 trillion dollars. 

 

Helen Schaub, Political Director of 1199SEIU, said, “The GOP’s Big Ugly Bill is a direct attack on working families and the essential caregivers of 1199SEIU. It would kick 15 million people off their insurance, force hospitals and nursing homes to close, and slash food benefits for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers, all to hand more tax cuts to the rich. With hundreds of thousands of members on the front lines of our health care system, we know firsthand how this immoral bill betrays our communities, our city, and our country. 1199 is proud to stand with Congressman Goldman and Assemblymember Lee to make sure New Yorkers know exactly who’s responsible.” 

 

Wayne Ho, President and CEO of Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC), said, "For 60 years, the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) has helped Asian American, immigrant and low-income New Yorkers access the services and resources they need to thrive. Over 1/3 of Chinese Americans live in poverty, so public benefits like SNAP, Medicaid, and our safety net hospitals have been lifelines for our communities, and the "Big Beautiful Bill" will decimate these lifelines. We are already seeing community members who are worried about how they will feed their families and get lifesaving medications. Our federal representatives must continue to fight back, and our State government must be the last line of defense to protect our communities." 

 

Isabel Chin, Executive Director of Hamilton-Madison House, said, “Living in New York City already means navigating one of the highest costs of living in the country — from rent to groceries, everything is more expensive. Cutting food stamp benefits at a time when nearly 3 million New Yorkers rely on them is not just shortsighted, it’s harmful. These cuts will disproportionately impact families, caregivers for seniors, and working adults who are already struggling to make ends meet. We shouldn’t have to choose between paying rent and putting food on the table.” 

 

Robert Cordero, Chief Executive Officer of Grand St Settlement, said, “At Grand Street Settlement, we see firsthand the impact of poverty every day. With 1 in 4 New Yorkers unable to afford basics like food, housing, or healthcare, slashing SNAP will only make things worse—for our neighbors, our city, and our country.”  

 

David Garza, President and CEO of Henry Street Settlement, said, "For many of the participants in Henry Street Settlement’s services, SNAP benefits are a critical lifeline to nourishment and wellbeing. We anticipate that a dramatic increase in the threshold forbenefits, including a work requirement, would have a catastrophic impact on our community. People rely on SNAP when they are out of job; do not make enough money to keep up with the high prices in New York City; or face substantial barriers to work, such as family obligations, physical or mental health issues, and the high transportation costs of job hunting. To ensure that our community’s families can remain stable, with adequate resources to thrive, Henry Street opposes the cuts passed on the recent federal bill." 

 

Jennifer Vallone, Associate Executive Director of Adults, Arts, and Advocacy at University Settlement, said, “The SNAP benefit cut under the recently passed budget legislation not only threatens food security for New Yorkers already facing economic hardship, but will also create a negative ripple effect throughout New York's overall economy. More than 300,000 New Yorkers in over 26,000 households will be faced with the difficult decision of whether to put food on the table or pay for other essential services like rent or utilities. Local businesses will also face declining revenue when fewer families have the ability to buy their products. Instead of focusing on reducing food costs or inflation, this legislation drives families further into poverty for generations to come. This bill creates unnecessary harm in our communities and will have a long-term impact on hardworking New Yorkers who are already fighting to survive.” 

 

Matt Jozwiak, Founder and CEO of Rethink Food, said, "People are not talking enough about the economic impact SNAP cuts will have on small businesses. Local grocers, delis, and farmers markets rely on SNAP dollars. The federal government needs to have a solution that supports both the families who depend on SNAP and the small businesses that serve them."