Members of Congress Prepare for SNAP Benefits Debate in Farm Bill
As previously reported, House Republicans introduced legislation -
H.R. 1581
- to reform work requirements for those receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack weighed in on the issue last week during a Senate Agriculture Committee
hearing.
In his testimony, Vilsack said, “USDA aims to continue to modernize payment methods to support online shopping and mobile pay, to provide enhanced job training tied to local workforce programs, and to find additional ways to bring in local farmers and markets as retailers.”
During the same hearing, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) said he hopes to tighten work requirements in the new farm bill and Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) asked Vilsack how the USDA determines whether areas truly don’t have enough jobs — the same “loophole” House Republicans are trying to close through H.R. 1581. Read more
here.