Washington – House, Senate GOP Looking At Food Stamp Overhaul

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    FILE - Protesters hold replicas of food stamps during a rally in support of higher pay for low-wage earners outside the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, December 5, 2013.  REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst  Washington – Congressional Republicans are laying the groundwork for an overhaul of the nation’s food stamp program, trying again after an unsuccessful attempt two years ago.

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    House Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas, said Tuesday that his panel is starting a comprehensive, multiyear review of the program to see what’s working. He said “either huge reforms or small reforms” could come from that, though he wouldn’t detail what those might be.

    Conaway says a 2013 GOP effort to cut food stamps “didn’t resonate well” because Republicans didn’t spell out why it was important. House Republican leaders tried unsuccessfully to cut the program by 5 percent annually by passing a bill with broad new work requirements.

    “In order for this thing to work we have to have the American people supporting it, understand what’s working and not working,” Conaway said.

    Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., has said he will do a similar review.

    The food stamp program, now called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, serves more than 46 million Americans and costs $74 billion last year. That’s twice the program’s 2008 cost.

    In 2013, GOP leaders held up a massive farm bill for more than a year, insisting that money for farm programs be paired with cuts to SNAP.

    Democrats balked, and the final bill included a much smaller cut, scaling back policy that entitled some low-income families to more SNAP aid if they received federal heating assistance. Congress estimated then that the cut would trim SNAP by about 1 percent annually, but the amount is likely much lower because several states found ways to avoid the cuts.

    The House Agriculture Committee will start its review this week with two hearings.

    Some Democrats say they are wary of the review process. Agriculture Committee member James McGovern, a Massachusetts Democrat who is a longtime advocate for food stamps, said he wonders why the SNAP program is singled out for review and not expensive farm programs.

    “I am deeply concerned about this,” McGovern said. “This is a program that by and large works.”


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    13 Comments
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    puppydogs
    puppydogs
    9 years ago

    When half the country is on a program something is wrong.

    They are right the should be some reform or some work requirements. As they say there is no such a thing as a free lunch.

    ayoyo
    ayoyo
    9 years ago

    All of the big banks and other big companies do get free lunch from the govt. It’s the poor and middle class that pay for it with tax money B.T.Y.wasn’t’ it Jeb Bush gov. of Florida that featured in the savings and loan banks that collapsed and the federal govt. covered the losses that we are still paying for?

    PaulinSaudi
    PaulinSaudi
    9 years ago

    If 46million Americans are on the program, that is about 12% of the population, not half. It is still a huge number of course. If we raise the minimum wage, employer can pay to feed their workers, rather than the taxpayers.

    9 years ago

    The people I know on food stamps drive new cars every two years, go to Israel and Argentina at least twice a year with their big families, have kids in yeshivas and all wear designer clothes. The last wedding was at least 100k. Apparently, anyone can be accepted for food stamps. All the others I know on food stamps live luxurious lives. How do I know they’re on food stamps? I’ve seen them pay in the supermarket.

    ayoyo
    ayoyo
    9 years ago

    Only in america are the poor stigmatized .In europe there is compassion for those unable to earn a decent wage.England Germany France help their poor with decency, not begrudging them . They aren’t called bums or welfare cheats or welfare queens as here.
    Those governments are run by the people for the people, not by huge corporations as here