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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsProposed food stamp cuts could leave 3 million hungry in U.S.
By: Elizabeth Stuart/KTAR.com contributor
Originally published: Jul 15, 2012 - 5:00 am
A proposal that passed the U.S. House Agriculture Committee Thursday could kick as many as three million people off government food assistance next year, including the U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants.
As part of the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2012, the committee recommended cutting funding to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (also known as food stamps) by $16 billion over 10 years.
Most of the savings would be achieved by doing away with categorical eligibility, or the practice of waiving an asset test if recipients qualify for other government welfare programs. About half of current SNAP recipients were ushered in because they receive non-cash benefits from the government like help with bus fare and child care, according to the Congressional Budget Office. More than 40 states use categorical eligibility to dole out food stamps.
Under the House's proposal, families would have to make less than 130 percent of the federal poverty line, have less than $2,000 in resources and meet other minimum federal eligibility standards. Tightening the eligibility requirements would shave about 4 percent between two and three million people off SNAP's caseload every year, according to CBO and White House estimates.
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http://ktar.com/22/1559162/Proposed-food-stamp-cuts-could-leave-3-million-hungry-in-US
3feetofsnow
(56 posts)GOP right wingers hate anything to do with helping those who can "supposedly" help themselves with a job. Even if there are no jobs to suffice. Even if you work at Walmart and need food stamps to help you live.
Rightwingers hate.
Zorra
(27,670 posts)Initech
(99,909 posts)ananda
(28,780 posts)Are we really regressing to the let em eat cake era?
Shudder
atreides1
(16,046 posts)We've been there for some time...and now with the Tea Party, plans that were already in place are going forward...it just took enough time to convince the brain dead crackers that the boogie man in the White House is an evil socialist!
That's right I said "brain dead crackers", because that's exactly what the Tea Party consists of!!!
peacebird
(14,195 posts)Formerly middle class Americans, who have lost jobs and run out of savings, and had never in their wildest dreams considered that THEY would be at a food bank asking for help.
Beyond sad.