Mississippi's Governor, Tate Reeves, a Republican, has announced the state's withdrawal from a federal program designed to provide food assistance to children during the summer break from school. Reeves framed the decision as a rejection of "attempts to expand the welfare state," opting out of a federal initiative that would have issued electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards to low-income families to help cover food costs during the school break.
As reported by Mississippi Today, eligible families would have received $40 a month, totaling $120 to account for the period between school terms. However, Mississippi's welfare agency countered Reeves's rationale, stating that the state lacks the resources, including workforce capacity and funding, to administer the program effectively.
Reeves's decision has sparked strong criticism, with scholar Nikole Hannah-Jones condemning it as "cruelty" in a post on social media. Others, such as Keith Boykin, co-founder of the National Black Justice Coalition, pointed out the allocation of welfare funds to non-essential projects, contrasting the refusal of federal aid for child nutrition.
Governor Reeves is among 15 Republican governors who have rejected the federally funded food program aimed at assisting children during the summer. States such as Alabama, Oklahoma, Alaska, Florida, South Carolina, South Dakota, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Vermont, and Wyoming have also opted out, impacting over 8 million children and $2.5 billion in federal assistance.
Governor Kim Reynolds of Iowa, who made a similar announcement in December, criticized the federal assistance program as not being a "long-term" solution and claimed that EBT cards do not promote nutrition, particularly as childhood obesity is a growing concern.
Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen, another rejector of federal funding, has voiced his disbelief in welfare, according to reports from the Washington Post.