The Trump administration proposal to tighten eligibility rules for food stamps “will push struggling families and children further into poverty, and we strongly urge USDA to rescind it immediately,” said the 55 members of the Congressional Black Caucus on Wednesday. Writing to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, the caucus said the USDA had failed to mention in its analysis of the proposal that it would disqualify more than 500,000 children from free meals at school.
“The department’s proposal is contrary to the result of the legislative process and flies in the face of the intent of Congress,” said the letter. In the debate on the 2018 farm bill, lawmakers rejected proposals for broader and stricter work requirements for working-age adults.
Perdue has said the administration proposal, which would constrain the use of so-called categorical eligibility, would eliminate a loophole that allows states to load SNAP rolls. The USDA says its proposal is within the discretion granted by Congress for operating SNAP. Some 3.1 million people, or 8 percent of current SNAP participants, would lose benefits under the proposal.
Under categorical eligibility, people who are eligible for social assistance automatically can be considered for food stamps. The usual asset limits for SNAP do not apply to these applicants, though they must have a low enough income under SNAP calculations to qualify for benefits.