Tuesday, December 04, 2018

USDA to limit states' work exemptions for some able-bodied SNAP recipients after farm bill doesn't expand requirements

Though the reconciled Farm Bill jettisoned strict work requirements for more recipients in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has a workaround plan aimed at appeasing nettled House Republicans who wanted the measure included in the bill.

Once the Farm Bill passes, Perdue said the Department of Agriculture will issue a rule to reduce states' waivers that exempt some SNAP recipients from current work requirements. "The rule has been in the works for months and many had expected it to be released before the midterms, but the administration held off. Perdue had said he didn’t want to preempt Congress" while it was negotiating the Farm Bill," Ryan McCrimmon reports for Politico. "Perdue said the rule will appeal to conservative lawmakers who are frustrated that House Republicans came up short."

USDA has been seeking ways to reduce food aid to the 36 states that exempt at least some SNAP recipients from the existing three-month limit for able-bodied adults without dependents to receive benefits within a three-year period if they're not working at least 80 hours a month, McCrimmon reports.

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