Spread the love
One in ten Americans currently receives food stamp benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins believes that the program needs a comprehensive overhaul to ensure that only those in genuine need receive these benefits.
### Enhanced Eligibility Verification
As the first step, the USDA intends to require recipients to reapply for benefits more rigorously. According to Rollins, “taking a taxpayer-funded benefit through SNAP or food stamps must be reserved for the vulnerable—those who can’t survive without it.” To facilitate this, states are being asked to submit updated welfare recipient data to the federal government.
### State-level Disarray and Data Issues
There is considerable disarray at the state level regarding data submissions. So far, only 29 states—primarily led by Republicans—have provided the federal government with updated information. Alarmingly, limited data reveals that over 186,000 deceased Americans are still receiving monthly SNAP benefits.
Rollins commented, “Now, that is what we’re really going to start clamping down on. Half a million are getting two. But here’s the really stunning thing: This is just data from those 29 mostly red states. Can you imagine when we get our hands on the blue state data, what we’re going to find?”
### SNAP’s Financial Impact
SNAP is the largest social support program in the United States, costing the federal government upwards of $9 billion per month. Rollins sees reorganizing SNAP as the first step toward reducing dependence on the welfare state.
### Current Recertification Practices
Currently, recipients are required to reapply for SNAP benefits every 6 to 12 months. However, a full reapplication is not mandatory. Most recipients simply affirm that their circumstances have not changed, and there is little follow-up. States like Illinois, California, and New York have streamlined recertification processes, allowing recipients to handle paperwork by mail or interview over the phone or on demand.
Some households—especially those receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI)—are automatically reenrolled with extended recertification periods of up to 36 months. Rarely do individuals undergo a thorough reapplication process. This ease of continuing benefits is cited as a reason why welfare rolls remain high.
### New Proposed Requirements
Going forward, individuals and households requesting government assistance will be required to file updated financial information and demonstrate they still meet eligibility requirements, including work requirements.
### Data Submission and Political Disputes
Twenty-one primarily Democrat-led states have yet to submit data to Washington. Critics argue that these states are allowing a faulty welfare system to persist at the expense of taxpayers. Some of these states have even filed lawsuits against the USDA, arguing that more complex reenrollment requirements could jeopardize vulnerable populations.
However, proponents of the overhaul maintain that every American bears part of the $9 billion monthly SNAP cost, making program integrity essential. They argue that dead people and individuals above the income threshold should not be receiving benefits, and that unchecked expansion of the welfare state can—and should—be prevented.
—
What are your thoughts on proposed changes to SNAP? Share your opinions in the comments below.
https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/international-news/north_america/americas-current-economy/snap-overhaul-9-billion-monthly-program/
