By: Maiken Scott

It's a win for cash-strapped states across the country, but a loss for people who receive food stamps, and local advocates are worried.

The $26 billion dollar bill that passed the U.S. Senate today will help states pay for Medicaid and public services. It is funded in part by cutting other programs, for example a $12 billion dollar cut to food stamps. The cut will cost a family of four about $50 a month. Carey Morgan of the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger says this is is a bad time to cut the program:

Morgan: Everybody knows we're in a recession, and everybody knows that people will have a hard time putting food on the table. To cut those benefits would mean that people will be going hungry, kids will be going hungry, and the repercussions are just terrible.

Morgan says over a quarter of Philadelphia's population currently receives food stamps. The cuts won't go into effect until 2014.

Hear the story on WHYY.