Dear Secretary Perdue: We, the undersigned 17 governors — a coalition representing more than 149 million Americans — write to voice our opposition to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) proposal to essentially eliminate Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE) from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Should this proposed rule take effect as written, hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries in our states would lose access to basic food assistance. As the Department’s own analysis reflects, many of those impacted would be among the most vulnerable in our states, including individuals with disabilities and the elderly.1 USDA’s proposal also jeopardizes access to free and reduced price meals at school for an estimated 500,000 low-income children.2 We shouldn’t be making it harder for struggling Americans to make ends meet and put food on the table — which is what this proposed regulation would do. As governors, we strongly urge you to rescind this proposed rule.