Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Lauren Bauer @laurenhlb.bsky.social · 5d

Outrageous

Ken Schwencke @schwanksta.com · 5d

In the spring, Trump cut $500 million from aid to food banks.

But they had already ordered 94 million pounds of food from the program — all abruptly canceled.

People at food banks noticed. The cuts meant less meat and lighter pickups.

We visualized it:

projects.propublica.org/trump-food-c...

Trump Canceled 94 Million Pounds of Food Aid. Here’s What Never Arrived.

ProPublica obtained records from the Department of Agriculture that detail the millions of pounds of food, down to the number of eggs, that never reached food banks because of the administration’s cut...

projects.propublica.org

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Reposted by Lauren Bauer

Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 6d

NEW—US Department of Education sent out standard Out of Office language to employees on Wednesday in light of shutdown. Later yesterday, workers tell me they found someone had updated their auto-responses without consent to a new one blaming Democrats.

Version of original on left, updated on right:

Thank you for your email. There is a temporary shutdown of the U.S. government due to a lapse in appropriations. I will respond to your message as soon as possible after the temporary shutdown ends. Please visit ED.gov for the latest information on the
Department's operational status.
Thank you.

Thank you for contacting me. On September 19, 2025, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5371, a clean continuing resolution. Unfortunately, Democrat Senators are blocking passage of H.R. 5371 in the Senate which has led to a lapse in appropriations. Due to the lapse in appropriations I am currently in furlough status. I will respond to emails once government functions resume.

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Lauren Bauer @laurenhlb.bsky.social · 13d

The Hamilton Project continues to track federal outlays on the daily …

www.hamiltonproject.org/data/trackin...

Tracking federal expenditures in real time - The Hamilton Project

Track federal expenditures and filter by department, program, and more. Data are updated daily.

www.hamiltonproject.org

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Lauren Bauer @laurenhlb.bsky.social · 13d

Incredible honest reporting and insights on DOGE.

Kate Knibbs @knibbs.bsky.social · 13d

so grateful to all the federal workers who spoke to us for story: www.wired.com/story/oral-h...

The Story of DOGE, as Told by Federal Workers

WIRED spoke with more than 200 federal workers in dozens of agencies to learn what happened as the Department of Government Efficiency tore through their offices.

www.wired.com

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Reposted by Lauren Bauer

Leran @leran.bsky.social · 14d

I loathe that we need GoFundMe campaigns for this type of thing, but Randy is a real one. Kind, dedicated, smart, funny, and deeply a good person. If you have a few dollars or well wishes please send them his way

Randy Rosso @fooddatanerd.com · 14d

There’s a link at the end to a GoFundMe set up by my wonderful friend Lindsay Saunders:

www.gofundme.com/f/randy-his-...

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Reposted by Lauren Bauer

Katie Bergh @katiebergh.bsky.social · 14d

Overall rates of food insecurity held steady in 2020 & 2021 despite the pandemic. Food insecurity among households with kids actually reached a two-decade low in 2021.

In contrast, food insecurity increased during the Great Recession amid a less robust policy response.

Policy matters.

Lauren Bauer @laurenhlb.bsky.social · 15d

"Trends in the prevalence of food insecurity have remained virtually unchanged, regardless of an over 87% increase in SNAP spending between 2019 - 2023."

It was a massive policy accomplishment to have food security stay flat during COVID.

www.fns.usda.gov/newsroom/usd...

www.fns.usda.gov

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Lauren Bauer @laurenhlb.bsky.social · 15d

Shana tova. This is outrageous.

Steve Herman @newsguy.bsky.social · 15d

WSJ - Federal economists and researchers responsible for measuring hunger in America are placed on indefinite paid leave. www.wsj.com/politics/policy/u...

Exclusive | USDA Puts Food Researchers on Leave

The move comes days after the Trump administration abruptly canceled an annual Agriculture Department report that measures hunger in America.

www.wsj.com

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Lauren Bauer @laurenhlb.bsky.social · 15d

"The data is rife with inaccuracies slanted to create a narrative that is not representative of what is actually happening in the countryside as we are currently experiencing lower poverty rates, increasing wages, and job growth under the Trump Administration"

What?

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Lauren Bauer @laurenhlb.bsky.social · 15d

apnews.com/article/trum...

"The questions used to collect the data are entirely subjective and do not present an accurate picture of actual food security."

Huh?

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Lauren Bauer @laurenhlb.bsky.social · 15d

"Trends in the prevalence of food insecurity have remained virtually unchanged, regardless of an over 87% increase in SNAP spending between 2019 - 2023."

It was a massive policy accomplishment to have food security stay flat during COVID.

www.fns.usda.gov/newsroom/usd...

www.fns.usda.gov

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