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by Causes | 12.26.18

What’s the story?

\nThe Farm Bill recently signed into law did not include work requirements for recipients of food stamps, a measure the Trump administration had hoped for. So in a move that would bypass Congress, the Agriculture Department (USDA) unveiled a regulatory proposal that would expand work requirements for those enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly referred to as “SNAP” or food stamps.\n

\"Under this new rule able-bodied adults without dependents will have to work or look for work in order to receive their food stamps,” Trump said. “Today's action will help Americans transition from welfare to gainful employment, strengthening families and uplifting communities. And that was a difficult thing to get done.”

What are both sides saying?

Supporters

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue argued that with lower unemployment, more people should be required to work.

\"In 2016 there were 3.8 million individual [able-bodied adults without dependents] on the SNAP rolls with 2.8 million or almost 75 percent of them not working. This is unacceptable to most Americans and belies common sense particularly when employment opportunities are plentiful as they currently are.\"

Purdue complained that the SNAP program has become “ a way of life for some people.”

“This is to help facilitate them back to the dignity of work,” Purdue said.

Critics

Robert Campbell, policy director for Feeding America, told ABC News that the Trump administration estimated more than 750,000 people could lose benefits under the new rules.

\"We're concerned that taking food away from people will not make them more employable and it will not help them in their prospects.”

Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee, said the proposed rule blatantly ignores the bipartisan Farm Bill.
\"Congress writes laws and the Administration is required to write rules based on the law, not the other way around. Congress chose not to change the current SNAP work rules in the Farm Bill, and instead, focused on strengthening work programs that actually help people get jobs,\" she said in a statement, adding:

\"Administrative changes should not be driven by ideology. I do not support unilateral and unjustified changes that would take food away from families.\"

What do you think?

Do you support expanding work requirements for food stamps? Take action above, then share your thoughts below.

—Josh Herman

(Photo Credit: iStockphoto.com / jetcityimage)

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