![]() ![]() ![]() We saw welfare rolls drop.”īiden has acknowledged his past support for work requirements for federal assistance programs when he served as a senator. “We watched every study after the fact take people from poverty and provide a job for them. President Clinton signed it into law,” McCarthy said at a Wednesday press conference on the status of debt limit talks. “When we talk about work requirements, Sen. They say the new requirements would still only apply to people who are able-bodied with no dependents. Many Republicans, however, believe such requirements incentivize people to find or stay in a job. Such a procedural tool needs 218 members to sign on, but because Republicans narrowly control the House, it would require at least several GOP lawmakers to join them, which is unlikely. Joe Courtney, D-2.Ĭourtney joined a number of Democrats on Wednesday in supporting a discharge petition to force a vote on raising the debt ceiling without the inclusion of spending cuts. The proposed changes have the potential to affect about 12,000 women and children on food assistance in Connecticut and potentially disrupt eligibility for 11,000 people between 50 and 55, according to data from the office of Rep. But nearly 3,800 food stamp recipients in Connecticut live in one of 24 towns where no retailer accepts this form of payment. receive monthly benefits to help purchase food at designated supermarkets and stores. “I want to see exactly what they’re suggesting, but I don’t see any way that I could support those kinds of work requirements that are inequitable and cruelly burdensome,” Blumenthal said Wednesday.ĭemocrats argue that Republicans’ plan would affect the benefits of about 1 million Americans on food assistance if the work requirement age was raised to 56.Įligible households in Connecticut and across the U.S. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., echoed a similar sentiment, saying it would be challenging to vote for any debt ceiling agreement that imposes stricter requirements. But she said she is open to discussing such an issue during the upcoming Farm Bill negotiations rather than lumping it into a must-pass bill that does not deal with nutrition. Hayes pointed out that many Republicans ultimately got on board with the 2018 version of that legislation, which did not include stronger work requirements. ![]() She also noted the particular challenges for people between 50 and 55 who have more “labor-intensive” work, such as those working as nursing assistants who might struggle to lift people.įunding for the food stamp program will be at the center of discussions over the Farm Bill, which expires later this year and requires authorization every five years. She said people have a “different interpretation” of the beneficiaries of the program. Hayes has been open about her own personal experiences as a former SNAP recipient who was working and in school while raising young children. “We want people to work - able-bodied people without dependents to seek employment, to actively pursue a path of self-sufficiency.” I really don’t think there is a full understanding of who we’re talking about,” she added. “I will not sit by and say nothing while the most vulnerable people are used as a negotiating tool as if they’re draining the economy and the sole source of debt and deficit. He has met or spoken with President Joe Biden a few times, and his team started negotiations this week with two key White House staffers. ![]() She is the ranking member of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture and has been a vocal advocate for federal assistance programs for low-income families, including SNAP, which helps pay for groceries.Īs lawmakers wait to see the parameters of a possible deal, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is engaged in talks with the White House and other congressional leaders to see if they can find common ground ahead of June 1, the projected date when Congress will need to raise the country’s borrowing limit or risk default. Jahana Hayes, D-5, said she is “very concerned” by the GOP push for tougher requirements to access SNAP benefits and believes it is “inappropriate” to include it in debt ceiling talks. from defaulting on its debt for the first time in history - and any deal could include some cuts or changes to federal programs to get enough support from Republicans.īut some Democrats, including those who represent Connecticut, say they are unlikely to sign off on any agreement that imposes stricter work requirements to receive benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, formerly known as food stamps. Lawmakers in Congress are under pressure to overcome a political standoff to prevent the U.S. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |