Congress has successfully eliminated exemptions from work requirements for veterans, homeless individuals, and young adults who have been foster parents receiving food assistance.
House Republicans had previously protected exemptions from labor requirements under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as part of a larger initiative aligned with Trump’s tax cuts and spending goals. In contrast, Senate Republicans removed crucial provisions in their version of the bill. These exemptions were originally negotiated two years ago as part of a bipartisan agreement.
The GOP-led Senate Agriculture Committee confirmed that these exemptions mean members of the three affected groups will no longer be exempted.
Thus far, the issue has attracted little attention from either party, overshadowed by other significant Republican initiatives, including a major Medicaid overhaul and a multi-billion dollar tax proposal.
Even several GOP members of the Senate committee who drafted the bill have stated they are seeking further details about the proposed changes before the vote.
“Everyone should be treated equally,” said Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-Ark.) on Wednesday when asked about this matter. Senate Republican aides also mentioned that individuals who are not “healthy” would not be required to meet these work requirements under the Senate plan.
Previously, Congress had agreed to a temporary adjustment to SNAP’s labor requirements for 2023 as part of a bipartisan arrangement to limit federal spending and address the national debt ceiling. This included provisions to extend exemptions until September 2030 for individuals facing homelessness, veterans, and young adults who were foster parents at age 18.
In a statement released last Friday, the Senate committee noted that Republicans are focused on “encouraging greater independence through work and training opportunities.”
Nonetheless, the plan states that “individuals who are not physically or mentally suitable for employment, regardless of their group status, are not required to meet the 20-hour work week requirements.”
This decision comes as Republicans in both chambers push to eliminate “waste, fraud, and abuse” within what they call a “bloated” government program that has been expanding for years.
Other significant changes Republicans aim to implement in SNAP include requiring states to cover a portion of their benefits costs, contributing a larger share to program management expenses, and restricting the federal government’s ability to increase future appropriations.
The Senate Agriculture Committee estimates that this plan will yield “approximately net savings of $144 billion” over the coming years, and the Republican proposal intends to cover several SNAP benefit expenses, which are expected to comprise a considerable segment of the anticipated budget cuts.
This plan is part of a broader effort by both parties to identify measures that could reduce federal spending by over $1 trillion in the next decade, aligning with Trump’s 2017 tax cuts and other tax priorities.
Democrats have consistently opposed the evolving proposals, which are being crafted solely between Republicans in the House and Senate.
“The Republican bill will strip food from vulnerable veterans emerging from the foster care system, homeless individuals, and young adults, leaving them uncertain about where their next meal will come from,” stated Sen. Angie Craig, the leading Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, on Wednesday.
“Republicans aim to cut food aid to finance new tax credits for the wealthy and large corporations,” she added.
Some experts are also sounding the alarm.
“This is a significant concern. These groups have exemptions for specific reasons; they are vulnerable for a reason,” remarked Kyle Ross, a policy analyst with the Inclusive Economics at the Left-Level Center for Progress in America.
“An estimated 12 million veterans rely on SNAP benefits. Veterans are more likely to experience food insecurity compared to non-veterans, making them more dependent on food assistance,” he noted, highlighting the vulnerabilities of homeless individuals and foster parents in the job market.
On the other hand, some argue against the need for special exemptions.
Angela Lachidi, a senior fellow at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute (AEI), described the 2023 spending cap deal as a “political compromise,” asserting that Republicans have secured an increase in the SNAP age threshold as part of negotiations during the Biden administration. Some hardline conservatives were critical of this deal at the time, raising concerns about SNAP exemptions.
“Many states will offer exemptions anyway due to mental health issues and don’t necessarily require a doctor’s note,” she explained, insisting that “there is nothing particularly unique about people who cannot hold jobs.”
She added that eliminating “another layer of screening” would help alleviate the burden on the states.
“They do not need to assess veteran or foster parent status; they’ll verify homeless status anyway,” she asserted.
Meanwhile, Lauren Bauer, a Brookings Institutional Economics Fellow, pointed out that additional burdens could arise if other Republican proposals affect the state’s share of program benefits and administrative costs.
“The bill further reduces federal support for both sides that aid states in program administration and in identifying and verifying exemptions, health exceptions, and more,” Bauer stated.
“It’s also quite costly to manage work requirements, creating complications not just for SNAP participants, but for the states managing the program,” she concluded.
Source: thehill.com