Trump administration moves to remove 700,000 people from food stamps' benefits
Donald Trump
TheTrumpadministrationsaid on Wednesday it will make it harder for states to keep residents in the USfoodstamp program in a move that is projected to end benefits for nearly700,000people.
President DonaldTrumphas argued that many Americans receivingfoodstampsthrough the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, do not need it given the strong economy and low unemployment. The program provides freefoodto 36 million Americans.
Theadministrationhas now finalised a rule that tightens guidelines on when and where states can waive limits on how long certain residents can receive benefits. The changes will move more "able-bodied" adults into the workplace, USAgriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said.
"States are seeking waivers for wide swaths of their population, and millions ofpeoplewho could work are continuing to receive SNAP benefits," he told reporters.
The United States generally limits the amount of time that adults ages 18-49, who do not have dependents or disability, can receivefoodstampsto three months in a 36-month period unless they meet certain work requirements.
States can apply for waivers to this time limit due to tough economic conditions. However, counties with an unemployment rate as low as 2.5 per centhave been included in waived areas, according to the USDepartment of Agriculture, which runs SNAP.
The agency is stiffening guidelines defining where recipients can reside to be eligible for waivers and standards for demonstrating whether an area has enough jobs to justify a waiver.
The USunemployment rate was 3.6 per centin October.
"We need everyone who can work to work," Perdue said.
But critics say themoveswill hurt poor Americans.
"This is an unacceptable escalation of theadministration's war on working families, and it comes during a time when too many are forced to stretch already-thin budgets to make ends meet," said USRepresentative Marcia Fudge, an Ohio Democrat.
Theadministrationhas sought to tighten requirements forfoodstampswithout congressional approval after Congress blocked aTrump-backed effort to pass new restrictions through the Farm Bill last year.
The latest rule will take effect next year and save the USgovernment $5.5 billion over five years by removing about 688,000peoplefromfoodstamps, said Brandon Lipps, a USDA deputy undersecretary.
"For those impacted, it will mean less nutritious meals or meals that are skipped altogether," said Cassie Ramos, policy associate for the Centrefor Science in the Public Interest, an advocacy group.