“Ultimately this rule will create more barriers for struggling families and make it harder for states to help them get back on their feet.”
Contact: Meredith Jorss, mjorss@strength.org
12/20/18, WASHINGTON, DC – Today, as the President signs the 2018 Farm Bill into law, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposed a new rule that will limit the ability of Governors to respond to the unique needs of struggling citizens in their states by changing the work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs) receiving Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
The following is a statement from Share Our Strength’s Senior Vice President, Lisa Davis.
“We’re disappointed in the publishing of this rule. It is contrary to the intent of Congress, which just last week passed an overwhelmingly bipartisan Farm Bill that considered and balanced the input and needs of stakeholders – including state agencies who administer the SNAP program.
"This rule proposes a one-size-fits-all approach and eliminates state flexibility, which historically has provided states the discretion to waive work requirements when unemployment is high or jobs are unavailable. If finalized, this change would unnecessarily prevent Governors from making decisions that best serve the people in their communities.
"It is also poor public policy. While we can all agree that a good job is the best pathway out of poverty, punishing those who cannot find work or who may have limited skills, health issues or inadequate transportation is counterproductive and mean-spirited.
"Ultimately this rule will create more barriers for struggling families and make it harder for states to help them get back on their feet.”
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About No Kid Hungry
No child should go hungry in America. But 1 in 6 kids will face hunger this year. No Kid Hungry is ending childhood hunger through effective programs that provide kids with the food they need. This is a problem we know how to solve. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of Share Our Strength, an organization working to end hunger and poverty.