SNAP Changes in Farm Bill
SNAP Changes in Farm Bill
On Wednesday the Farm bill, H.R. 2, was passed along party lines by the House Agriculture Committee after hours of Democratic resistance about changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Now Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX) must sell the plan to his conference, where some want greater reforms of the program. But House Speaker Paul Ryan considers the bill reforms part of his welfare overhaul goals and he applauded the effort to modernize SNAP.
H.R. 2 would require 20 hours of work training a week for SNAP recipients ages 18 through 59 deemed “work capable” adults. Seniors, disabled, those caring for children younger than six, or those who are pregnant would be excluded. After 2025, the required work training hours would increase to 25. The bill would also direct USDA to create a Duplicative Enrollment Database to prevent participants from receiving SNAP benefits in multiple states. Furthermore, the bill requires retailers accepting SNAP to report the SNAP items sold to the USDA and requires both the SNAP recipients and the SNAP retailers to remain anonymous. Lastly, the bill would place a ban on SNAP processing fees related to the routing of electronic benefits transfer (EBT) purchases.
CBO estimated the new work provisions would reduce spending by $1.54 billion over 10 years; the eligibility changes would reduce spending by $5.04 billion; and another $5.25 billion in reduced spending would come from limiting an automatic increase in SNAP benefits based on payments under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
H.R. 2 would require 20 hours of work training a week for SNAP recipients ages 18 through 59 deemed “work capable” adults. Seniors, disabled, those caring for children younger than six, or those who are pregnant would be excluded. After 2025, the required work training hours would increase to 25. The bill would also direct USDA to create a Duplicative Enrollment Database to prevent participants from receiving SNAP benefits in multiple states. Furthermore, the bill requires retailers accepting SNAP to report the SNAP items sold to the USDA and requires both the SNAP recipients and the SNAP retailers to remain anonymous. Lastly, the bill would place a ban on SNAP processing fees related to the routing of electronic benefits transfer (EBT) purchases.
CBO estimated the new work provisions would reduce spending by $1.54 billion over 10 years; the eligibility changes would reduce spending by $5.04 billion; and another $5.25 billion in reduced spending would come from limiting an automatic increase in SNAP benefits based on payments under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
Powered By GrowthZone