Although Majority Leader Cantor says that under the bill he plans to bring to a House vote this week, “No law-abiding beneficiary who meets the income and asset tests of the current program and is willing to comply with applicable work requirements will lose their benefits…” the reality is that his bill will affect many of the nation’s poorest citizens. Under current law, unemployed adults aged 18-50 who aren’t raising minor children can receive food stamps for only three months out of every three years. But the law authorizes governors to seek temporary waivers from the three-month cut-off for areas with high unemployment or that otherwise lack sufficient jobs. And governors of both parties have requested such waivers, especially during the recent years of high unemployment. Cantor’s bill eliminates all possibility for waivers. That means that people in an area with high unemployment who can’t find a job despite a searching daily would be summarily thrown off SNAP after three months.
Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 9/16/13, SNAP Work
No comments:
Post a Comment