Gov. Bill Lee opts not to renew Summer EBT program, sparking controversy

From Local 3 News: The office of Tennessee Governor Bill Lee sparked controversy when they missed the January 1 deadline renewal for the federal Electronic Benefits Transfers Program for Children (Summer EBT).

The program, which began in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, provided families with $120 for each eligible school-aged child to buy food during the summer months.
The Summer EBT Program, according to the US Department of Agriculture, bridged the gap for an estimated 21 million children in 37 states. In Tennessee, nearly 700,000 children benefitted from the program during the 2024 summer season.
 
However, members of Congress and anti-hunger advocates are urging the Lee administration to reconsider.
 
On December 16, 2024, the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) called on the 12 states that did not have intentions to renew.
 
“Summer can be the hungriest time for children,” said Crystal FitzSimons, FRAC’s interim president. “This funding is an opportunity for states to ensure children have access to the nutrition they need to grow, thrive, and return to school ready to learn. No child should have to go hungry during the summer months, especially when solutions like Summer EBT exist.”
 
Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-District 9) asked Lee for an explanation on January 6, stating, "According to the 2024 Vanderbilt Center for Child Health Policy, over 40% of Tennessee families report food insecurity—a crisis compounded in urban centers like Memphis, where many parents struggle to put food on the table for their children."

In an email to NBC News, press secretary Elizabeth Lane Johnson both confirmed and explained the decision:

“The Summer EBT program was established in the pandemic-era to supplement existing food assistance programs in an extraordinary circumstance. The federal government has increasingly shifted the administrative cost burden to the states, prompting Tennessee not to renew our participation, as the program is mostly duplicative.”

In place of the Summer EBT Program, Lee's office announced on February 14 a proposed $3 million to provide a $120, one-time payment to eligible children in SNAP and TANF households in underserved counties identified by the Summer Food Service Program. The program will use existing EBT cards to provide the one-time payment to families.

“With this innovative step, we will go even further to provide food security to Tennessee children,” said TDHS Commissioner Clarence H. Carter. “This approach will deliver a fiscally responsible strategy to reach families in underserved communities in the summer months.”