Republicans take aim at SNAP benefits in growing fight over federal debt

[essentialsaltes]

Top House Republicans are exploring significant changes to the nation’s food stamps program, including benefit cuts and stricter work requirements, as some in the new majority scramble for ways to slash government spending this year.

The emerging GOP campaign arrives at a pivotal moment for the nutrition program, which is set to cease providing emergency pandemic payments this March. Congress terminated the allotments as part of a $1.7 trillion deal to fund the government reached at the end of last year, though some states — including Arizona, Florida and Mississippi — already had returned SNAP benefits to their normal amounts. [But some in the GOP are looking to cut even more.]

A key federal law that authorizes agricultural subsidies and nutrition programs including SNAP is set to expire at the end of September. Lawmakers must approve some sort of extension before Oct. 1, or enact a newer version of the measure, known colloquially in the Capitol as the “farm bill.” Otherwise, millions of farmers and families alike could experience significant economic disruptions this fall.

Firing an early warning shot, a group of five conservatives led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) last week cited the country’s “untenable” debt levels as they called for new “work requirements as a feature of welfare reform.” They specifically pointed to the need to make “structural reforms of SNAP,” saying such rules would restore “dignity” for beneficiaries.

 

[Pommer]

Top House Republicans are exploring significant changes to the nation’s food stamps program, including benefit cuts and stricter work requirements, as some in the new majority scramble for ways to slash government spending this year.

The emerging GOP campaign arrives at a pivotal moment for the nutrition program, which is set to cease providing emergency pandemic payments this March. Congress terminated the allotments as part of a $1.7 trillion deal to fund the government reached at the end of last year, though some states — including Arizona, Florida and Mississippi — already had returned SNAP benefits to their normal amounts. [But some in the GOP are looking to cut even more.]

A key federal law that authorizes agricultural subsidies and nutrition programs including SNAP is set to expire at the end of September. Lawmakers must approve some sort of extension before Oct. 1, or enact a newer version of the measure, known colloquially in the Capitol as the “farm bill.” Otherwise, millions of farmers and families alike could experience significant economic disruptions this fall.

Firing an early warning shot, a group of five conservatives led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) last week cited the country’s “untenable” debt levels as they called for new “work requirements as a feature of welfare reform.” They specifically pointed to the need to make “structural reforms of SNAP,” saying such rules would restore “dignity” for beneficiaries.

Wow, yes, let us kick off these “food cheats” and save the 1.29% (of the federal budget).

 

[HTacianas]

Top House Republicans are exploring significant changes to the nation’s food stamps program, including benefit cuts and stricter work requirements, as some in the new majority scramble for ways to slash government spending this year.

The emerging GOP campaign arrives at a pivotal moment for the nutrition program, which is set to cease providing emergency pandemic payments this March. Congress terminated the allotments as part of a $1.7 trillion deal to fund the government reached at the end of last year, though some states — including Arizona, Florida and Mississippi — already had returned SNAP benefits to their normal amounts. [But some in the GOP are looking to cut even more.]

A key federal law that authorizes agricultural subsidies and nutrition programs including SNAP is set to expire at the end of September. Lawmakers must approve some sort of extension before Oct. 1, or enact a newer version of the measure, known colloquially in the Capitol as the “farm bill.” Otherwise, millions of farmers and families alike could experience significant economic disruptions this fall.

Firing an early warning shot, a group of five conservatives led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) last week cited the country’s “untenable” debt levels as they called for new “work requirements as a feature of welfare reform.” They specifically pointed to the need to make “structural reforms of SNAP,” saying such rules would restore “dignity” for beneficiaries.

How long should emergency pandemic payments continue now that the pandemic is over?

 

[essentialsaltes]

How long should emergency pandemic payments continue now that the pandemic is over?

They are set to cease next month nationwide.

 

[iluvatar5150]

If Republicans were really concerned about encouraging work, they’d do something about the way that benefits abruptly get cut off once you hit an income threshold, like what’s described here. If you want to incentivize work, you’ll phase out the benefits slowly so that it still pays to take on work.

If you’re only looking for ways to make it harder to get benefits, then you’re only looking for ways to make the lives of poor people more miserable.

 

[Pommer]

If Republicans were really concerned about encouraging work, they’d do something about the way that benefits abruptly get cut off once you hit an income threshold, like what’s described here. If you want to incentivize work, you’ll phase out the benefits slowly so that it still pays to take on work.

If you’re only looking for ways to make it harder to get benefits, then you’re only looking for ways to make the lives of poor people more miserable.

The only “sin” in capitalism is being poor.
Hence the poor should be miserable, otherwise why would they work hard to be “not poor” and thus “happy”?