Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 24 July 2019

USDA rule would cut food stamp benefits for 3.1 million

By CAROLE FELDMAN also has proposed to tight- otherwise meet SNAP’s in- An unpublished version added wages could make
Associated Press en work requirements for come and asset eligibil- of the proposed rule ac- them ineligible for the pro-
WASHINGTON (AP) — those who receive federal ity prerequisites under the knowledges the impact, gram.
About 3.1 million people “The proposed rule would
would lose food stamp weaken SNAP’s role in sup-
benefits under the Trump porting work while making
administration’s proposal it harder for families that
to tighten automatic eligi- struggle to get by on low
bility requirements for the wages to meet their basic
food stamp program. needs,” he said.
The Agriculture Depart- About 36 million people
ment said Tuesday that the participated in SNAP in
rule would close “a loop- April 2019, down from more
hole” that enables people than 38 million a year ear-
receiving only minimal ben- lier.
efits from the Temporary As- Under current law, states
sistance for Needy Families may automatically make
program to be eligible au- people eligible for food
tomatically for food stamps stamps, if they meet in-
without undergoing further come and other require-
checks on their income or ments for TANF. USDA says
assets. 43 states have expanded
“For too long, this loophole that to include households
has been used to effective- that it says “barely partici-
ly bypass important eligibil- pate” in TANF.
ity guidelines. Too often, The provision is called “ex-
states have misused this panded categorical eligi-
flexibility without restraint,” bility.”
Agriculture Secretary Son- USDA said the policy has
ny Perdue said in a state- resulted in people receiv-
ment. ing food stamps who don’t
The proposed rule is the lat- In this Feb. 27, 2019 file photo, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue testifies during a House need it and wouldn’t qual-
est in the Trump administra- Agriculture Committee hearing, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Associated Press ify under regular program
tion’s efforts to cut back on rules.
the Supplemental Nutrition- food assistance. proposed rule.” That would saying it “may also nega- Ellen Vollinger, legal direc-
al Assistance Program or USDA estimates that 1.7 result in a net savings of tively impact food secu- tor of the Food Research
SNAP, the official name of million households — 3.1 about $9.4 billion over five rity and reduce the savings & Action Center, said the
the food stamp program. It million people — “will not years. rates among those indi- proposal was troubling
viduals who do not meet and that the government
the income and resource should “put attention on
eligibility requirements for how to help more people,
SNAP or the substantial not undercut supports for
and ongoing requirements them and make their strug-
for expanded categorical gle against hunger even
eligibility.” harder.”
Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D- She said the department
Mich., called the proposal didn’t seem to address
“yet another attempt by a resulting loss of school
this administration to cir- meals, which she said the
cumvent Congress” and Congressional Budget Of-
that the effect would be to fice included in its analyses
“take food away from fam- of previous, similar propos-
ilies, prevent children from als. “It’s another hit on hun-
getting school meals, and ger,” she said.
make it harder for states Under the proposal, to
to administer food assis- qualify for automatic eligi-
tance.” bility, people would have
Congress has rejected to get at least $50 a month
previous, similar attempts in benefits from TANF for a
to change the expanded minimum of six months.
automatic eligibility provi- Perdue said the change is
sions, most recently during necessary for “preventing
the farm bill debate in 2018. abuse of a critical safety
Robert Greenstein, presi- net system so those who
dent of the Center on Bud- need food assistance the
get and Policy Priorities, most are the only ones who
said the proposal could dis- receive it.”
courage working families The rule, expected to be
with incomes close to the published in the Federal
maximum for SNAP partici- Register on Wednesday, is
pation from seeking more open for public comment
work out of fear that the for 60 days.q