Republicans seek cuts to food stamp program with new farm bill
A social worker with the Cooperative Feeding Program displays a Federal food stamps card that is used to purchase food, Feb. 10, 2011 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. / Getty
(AP) WASHINGTON - The 1,000-page "farm bill" being debated in the Senate is somewhat of a misnomer. Four of every five dollars in it — roughly $80 billion a year — goes for grocery bills for one of every seven Americans through food stamps.
Republicans say Congress could cut the cost $2 billion a year by just closing a pair of loopholes that some states use to award benefits to people who otherwise might not qualify.
Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala.
/ AP"This is more than just a financial issue. It is a moral issue," says Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., one of several Republicans pushing for cuts in spending for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP.
The program has swelled from 28 million to 46 million participants and its costs have doubled in the past four years. The recession and slow recovery have increased the number of people unemployed over the same period from 8 million to 12 million.
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The Agriculture Department credits the program with keeping about 5 million Americans out of poverty every year. Before 2004, people received paper stamps or coupons worth $1, $5 or $10. Since then, all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Island and Guam have moved to debit-type cards that allow recipients to authorize transferring their benefits from a federal account to retailer accounts.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.
/ APDemocrats led by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York are resisting a proposal by Agriculture Committee leaders in both parties to trim a modest $250 million from the program each year by cracking down on abuses.
They say that would deprive about half a million households losing an average $90 a month in food aid.
The Republican-controlled House, which has yet to write its own farm bill, is certain to demand greater food stamp cuts, too. Finding common ground with the Democratic-led Senate could be key to whether Congress can pass a 1,000-page bill that also makes fundamental changes in farm subsidies before the current legislation bill expires at the end of September.
Sessions points out that the federal government now spends twice as much on food stamps as it does on fixing the nation's roads and bridges, and that SNAP is now the government's second-largest federal welfare program, following Medicaid.
To qualify, households, except those with elderly or disabled members, must have gross incomes below 130 percent of the poverty line. The Agriculture Department, which runs the program, says the average monthly benefit per person as of last November was $134.15. As for helping the economy, it calculates that each dollar in benefits generates $1.72 in economic activity, including 16 cents for farmers who grow the food.
While critics such as Sessions say the program is ripe for savings, the department says SNAP is doing a good job of eradicating fraud and error, with only 3 percent of payments in 2010 being excessive or going to ineligible households.
The Senate last week rejected an amendment by Rand Paul, R-Ky., that would have saved $322 billion over 10 years by cutting it $45 billion a year and turning spending decisions over to the states. The vote was 65-32 against, with 13 Republicans joining every Democrat in opposing it.
"I think Americans would be flabbergasted at the amount of money" spent on food stamps, Paul said.
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80 Billion a year to feed 46 million people. That is a bit less than $7000 a year for a family of four. $580 a month. My family, two working adults two children, eats for less.
Cutting taxes is not a tax break. The government has no money that it does not take from someone. Taxes are not a given. The Democrat party seems to view taxes the same way that the medieval church viewed indulgences. At least the church built some pretty spectacular buildings. So far all we have is Solyndra, the Volt and shares of a $53 company selling for $21.
These Republicons will all rot in hell.
Tell us hillz....exactly how does a multi-millionaire qualify for large tax breaks ? Or corporations to get huge corporate welfare benefits ? Surely it's not from "NEED." Tell us, what is the criteria for being rewarded by your government at tax-payers expense for simply being rich ? ----------
This is a realy god one, to the poit.
I am joining this, am asking for the same explanations, whoever will bother, please. Thanks.
"promote the general Welfare" does not mean "provide Welfare" FYI
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So are against corporate socialism, as well??
I surely hope so, or you're going to look like a huge hypocrite.
Welfare: providing a minimal level of well being to the economically disadvantaged; financial or other assistance to an individual or family from a city, state, or national government
Tax breaks or loopholes for a business is not welfare, as much as you would like it to be
Predictably, you frothing liberals just come roaring out of the woodwork, calling names, slobbering all over and screaming to high heaven.
Try to think for yourself and not be hypnotized by lib blogs.
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.