Trump's food stamp proposal would add work requirements in some states

CBS News ^ | Dec 20, 2018

[11th_VA]

The Trump administration wants to push more food stamp recipients to find jobs, after this year's farm bill failed to include work requirements for the federal food assistance program.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Thursday proposed a rule that would limit the ability of states to exempt work-eligible adults from having to obtain steady employment to receive food stamps. Critics called the proposal "draconian" and said it would hurt workers and families who are already struggling.

The move comes just weeks after lawmakers passed a $400 billion farm bill that reauthorized agriculture and conservation programs while leaving the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which serves roughly 40 million Americans, virtually untouched. Supporters of work requirements argue that it would help food stamp recipients find work through job training, easing them off public assistance, but critics say the proposal could backfire.

"The President reportedly plans to make draconian changes in a key SNAP (food stamp) rule, cutting off basic food assistance for hundreds of thousands of the nation's poorest and most destitute people," said the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities founder Bob Greenstein, who directed the agency that oversaw the federal food assistance programs under President Carter, in an emailed statement.

The proposal would "cut impoverished people off assistance and increase hardship substantially, rather than raising employment or helping people find jobs," he added.

Currently, states can receive waivers for work requirements if their unemployment rates are 20 percent above the national average, which currently stands at 3.7 percent.

Trump's proposal would strip states' ability to issue waivers unless a city or county has an unemployment rate of 7 percent or higher. Currently, no state has an unemployment rate above 7 percent, with Alaska representing the country's highest jobless rate, at 6.4 percent.

[ridesthemiles]

IF the members of Congress would have the GUTS to actually go to these ‘food banks’ & see the people that are coming there, they might get a clue.

New cars-—jewelry—manicures—styled hair-—really nice clothes.

MANY people are not destitute & in NEED of the food. All that is happening is that the FEDS are freeing up their other money so they can buy more drugs.

I live in rural Nevada. I know there are people spending the gas & time to go to 3 or more different food banks to get FREE STUFF. One of those food banks is even in another county.

One lady went to every food bank she could find for years-—and he husband was making over $1000 a week driving truck.

[ridesthemiles]

Ask yourself how many of those EBT mothers are double dipping:

Those kids get free lunches—many get free breakfasts, and dinners are being packed & sent home with them in some areas.

For sure, those free school lunches-—5 days a week—are not free to the taxpayers.

WHO believes that the Welfare people & the School Lunch people are working together to make sure the count on those kids in school 5 days a week & 9 months a year are NOT being counted twice???

I have NO FAITH in that happening.

[AbolishCSEU]

A long time ago I qualified for reduced price lunches at my children’s school. I was a working divorced mom (2 marriages-unlucky at love) one child from each marriage. I often had more than one job to make ends meet. No child support from either ex husband (before the pendulum swung in the extreme opposite direction courtesy the Clintoons)

I have one child that is white the other is of mixed heritage. My youngest’s application would sail through; rubber stamped in. My oldest (white child) application would always, always always get audited. I asked why this was because it was the same financial info. They had the Cheshire Cat look on their face and qualified my elder child.

I used to work for subsidized housing as a clerk. I would often see the recipients come in to recertify with ID card from various organizations but the app said they had no income. One in particular was a city public transit driver. No questions asked because of the recipient’s ethnicity. Don’t want to be accused of discrimination on the five o’clock news.