House Speaker Kevin McCarthy asked for another face-to-face session with President Biden over the federal debt limit on Tuesday and said trillions of dollars could be saved through steps such as stronger work requirements for able-bodied adults seeking government benefits. The upcoming farm bill is another arena where work requirements could be discussed.
In a letter to Biden, McCarthy listed four areas for discussion, including “strengthening work requirements for those without dependents who can work, as was enacted under President Bill Clinton and which you voted for as a United States senator.” The administration said action on the debt limit should be separate from consideration of budget cuts. “It’s time for Republicans to stop playing games, pass a clean debt ceiling bill, and quit threatening our economic recovery,” said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
The 1996 welfare reform law introduced a 90-day limit on food stamps in a three-year period for able-bodied adults ages 18 to 49 without dependents unless they work at least 20 hours a week, perform workfare or are in a job training program. Regional waivers are allowed during times of high unemployment or lack of jobs.
The 90-day limit was suspended as part of the federal response to the pandemic. The cut-off will be in force again in July, following the May 11 expiration of the coronavirus public health emergency.
Rep. Dusty Baker, South Dakota Republican, is the sponsor of legislation to broaden the 90-day limit to able-bodied adults ages 18 to 59 and to eliminate state waivers because of insufficient jobs. On Tuesday, he decried “fear mongering” over the bill; the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities says 6 million adults would be affected by the change, but not all would be disqualified, and 4 million children would be indirectly affected.
“Work is not punishment,” said Johnson.