On Thursday, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue announced plans to propose a rule changing the waiver qualifications for citizens to obtain benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
After long and tedious negotiations over SNAP work requirements in the Farm Bill, the Trump Administration and House Republicans backed off on their proposed changes. Secretary Perdue says while they didn?t get the SNAP reforms they wanted, the Farm Bill needs to be signed to protect other areas of the Ag sector.
This sets the stage for the Administration to use the rulemaking process over legislation to effect changes to SNAP. With Democrats taking control of the House during the mid-term elections, a legislative route would be all but totally blocked.
As the President readies himself to sign the Farm Bill, Secretary Perdue announced the proposed changes to waiver rules established during the Clinton Administration. The rules maintained that all ?Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents? (ABAWD) were required to work or be in job training at least 20 hours per week unless they had a waiver. It is these waivers the USDA proposal is targeting. The changes would only allow waivers in areas where the unemployment rate is over seven percent. The national unemployment rate stands at 3.7%. Secretary Perdue explains the proposed changes.
Outgoing House Ag Committee Chairman Mike Conaway, champion of the House-proposed SNAP changes to the Farm Bill, praised the proposal saying, ?This is an issue we took head-on in the House-passed farm bill, creating a roadmap for states to more effectively engage ABAWDs in this booming economy. Paired with the farm bill?s modernized E&T programming and increased investment, this proposed rule will allow ABAWDs to seek new opportunities and achieve their goals. I applaud the proposed rule and proudly stand with the Trump administration in demonstrating the importance of state accountability and recipient success.?
However, Senate Ag Committee Ranking member Debbie Stabenow was not as enthusiastic. Stabenow reacted, ?Administrative changes should not be driven by ideology. I do not support unilateral and unjustified changes that would take food away from families.”
According to USDA projections, this move could save 15 billion dollars over 10 years. This proposal is far from being a decision. Once the rule is published in the Federal Registrar, there will be a 60-day comment period.
