After winning the 2024 presidential election, President Donald Trump promised to significantly alter numerous government programs, including the well-known Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The greatest anti-hunger program in America, previously known as Food Stamps, provides monthly aid to millions of Americans in need. Under the incoming administration, Republican lawmakers are proposing a number of program reforms.
How could SNAP benefits change under Donald Trump’s administration?
Low- or no-income households across the country receive SNAP payments, which would otherwise make it difficult to purchase food. In 2023, the program serviced an average of 42.1 million people per month, accounting for 12.6% of all Americans. Even while it has provided a lifeline for financially disadvantaged Americans, Republicans have grumbled about its high cost.
According to the Pew Research Center, SNAP earned $119.4 billion in government funding in fiscal year 2022. According to the Newsweek website, benefits totaled $113.9 billion, with an additional $5.5 billion spent on administrative and other costs. The primary goals of Republicans’ comprehensive proposals for the SNAP program are to reduce overall expenses and address health concerns.
They also lobbied for changes to the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP), which the US Department of Agriculture uses to calculate benefit levels. House Republicans aim to overturn former President Joe Biden’s TFP expansion, which resulted in a 23 percent increase in SNAP payments in 2021.
Every month, the amount that SNAP beneficiaries can get outside of inflation is revised. This TFP clause will gradually lower the purchasing power of SNAP benefits, which is why Republicans want to eliminate it. They argue that Biden violated the 1996 Congressional Review Act by making a decision without informing Congress.
What are the main new SNAP eligibility changes?
Current legislation allows states to use something called Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE) to grant SNAP assistance to people who would otherwise be ineligible. This policy allows those receiving help from programs such as Temporary help for Needy Families (TANF) to automatically enroll in SNAP.
Because some TANF programs are available to households with higher earnings than those eligible for SNAP, states may allow people to enroll in SNAP despite not meeting federal eligibility requirements for assets, income, or both. This is why the Republican budget supports eliminating the BBCE.
Under current USDA standards, benefits are allocated based on the number of eligible recipients dwelling in a given residence. Republicans seek to limit SNAP payments to one family of six per residence.
As a result, for households with more than six persons, the maximum amount available under existing benefit limits would be $1,390 per month. Currently, able-bodied recipients aged 18 to 54 must prove that they worked at least 80 hours per month for more than three months in three consecutive years in order to get SNAP benefits.
Republicans advocate for a 56-year-old upper limit. It is crucial to note that in order to accomplish all of this, the Republican budget proposal must pass through several stages in Congress before any of its proposals can become law, and it is expected to face heavy opposition from Democratic legislators.
When will beneficiaries receive their SNAP benefits in February?
- Alabama: February 4 to 23
- Alaska: February 1
- Arizona: February 1-13
- Arkansas: February 4-13
- California: February 1-10
- Colorado: February 1-10
- Connecticut: February 1-3
- Delaware: February 2 to 23
- Washington, D.C.: February 1-10
- Florida: February 1 to 28
- Georgia: February 5 to 23
- Guam: February 1-10
- Hawaii: February 3-5
- Idaho: February 1-10
- Illinois: February 1-20
- Indiana: February 5 to 23
- Iowa: February 1-10
- Kansas: February 1-10
- Kentucky: February 1 to 19
- Louisiana: February 1 to 23
- Maine: February 10-14
- Maryland: February 4-23
- Massachusetts: February 1-14
- Michigan: February 3-21
- Minnesota: February 4-13
- Mississippi: February 4 to 21
- Missouri: February 1-22
- Montana: February 2-6
- Nebraska: February 1-5
- Snowfall: February 1-10
- New Hampshire: February 5
- New Jersey: February 1-5
- New Mexico: February 1-20
- New York: February 1-9
- North Carolina: February 3-21
- North Dakota: February 1
- Ohio: February 2-20
- Oklahoma: February 1 to 10
- Oregon: February 1-9
- Pennsylvania: February 3-14
- Puerto Rico: February 4 to February 22
- Rhode Island: February 1
- South Carolina: February 1-19
- South Dakota: February 10
- Tennessee: February 1-20
- Texas: February 1 to 28
- Utah: February 5, 11 and 15
- Virgin Islands: February 1
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