Cornyn Introduces SNAP Work Requirement Amendment To Farm Bill

U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) joined Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Dean Heller (R-NV) to introduce an amendment to the Senate Farm Bill that would add work requirements…

Last week, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) joined Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Dean Heller (R-NV) to introduce an amendment to the Senate Farm Bill that would add work requirements for recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) who meet certain criteria and would create a revised process for compliance.

“SNAP provides necessary benefits to many hardworking Americans struggling to make ends meet, but recipients gaming the system take funds away from those who truly need them,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This amendment will safeguard taxpayer dollars by encouraging these nutrition programs go to those with the most need.”

 The amendment to the Farm Bill would:

• Require nondisabled SNAP recipients ages 18-59 without dependents under age 6 to work or participate in employment training programs 20 hours per week.

• Expand qualifying work programs to include apprenticeships, time-limited unpaid or volunteer work, and state approved work training programs.

• Establish a revised ineligibility process allowing one month for initial compliance and requiring a 12-month ineligibility period for the first work requirement violation and a 36-month ineligibility period for subsequent violations unless an individual obtains sufficient employment or is no longer subject to the work requirements at an earlier time.

• Allow two years for implementation and give the Secretary discretion to allow states more time if necessary.

• Allow states to opt-out of enforcing updated requirements in exchange that states are no longer eligible for cost share of their administrative cost of administering the SNAP program.

• Make no adjustments to funding for SNAP benefits.