Mississippi's governor, Tate Reeves, a Republican, has declared the state's withdrawal from a federal program aimed at providing food assistance to children during their summer break from school. The decision, characterized as a rejection of "attempts to expand the welfare state," means that low-income families in Mississippi will not receive electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards to supplement food costs when academic classes are out of session, according to Mississippi Today.
Under the federal program, eligible families would have received $40 per month, totaling $120 to cover the period between school terms. However, Mississippi's welfare agency cited a lack of capacity to administer the program, stating that both the Mississippi Department of Education and the Department of Human Services lack the necessary resources, including workforce capacity and funding.
Governor Reeves faced strong criticism for the decision, with scholar Nikole Hannah-Jones condemning it as "cruelty." Others, like author Keith Boykin, pointed out that funds allocated for welfare in Mississippi have been directed to non-essential projects, such as a sports stadium.
Reeves is among 15 Republican governors who have opted out of the federally funded food program designed to support children during the summer break. Other states rejecting the program include Alabama, Oklahoma, Alaska, Florida, South Carolina, South Dakota, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Vermont, and Wyoming. Over 8 million children are expected to be affected by the rejection of the federal food assistance program, which provides $2.5 billion in aid to qualifying families.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, another Republican, had also announced in December that Iowa would not participate in the program, claiming it was not a "long-term" solution and did not promote nutrition. Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen, who rejected federal funding, expressed a general disbelief in welfare, according to the Washington Post.