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Amendment to tighten SNAP requirements goes nowhere in Senate

The author of a Senate farm bill amendment to put more restrictions on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP says able-bodied adults without children should be required to work more and receive less.

Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana says, “I don’t want to take away food stamps from people in need, I do want fewer people to need food stamps.”

Kennedy told fellow Senators 70% of the cost of the farm bill is the SNAP or food stamp program.

Texas Senator Ted Cruz says too many able-bodied adults have no work requirements.  “Twenty-eight states have partial waivers, and five states and the District of Columbia have total waivers on work requirements.  That’s not right.”

Democrat Debbie Stabenow of Michigan opposed the amendment saying it would limit the ability of people who rely on caregivers or family members to do their shopping and would place a burden and liability on businesses.  She supported the motion to table the amendment.  “We will have the opportunity to thoughtfully address these issues in a conference committee.  This amendment, in my judgment, would undermine what has been a very positive, bipartisan effort to get a farm bill done, and in fact would stop us from being able to complete this bill.”

The Kennedy amendment was tabled on a vote of 68-30, and no further consideration of the amendment is expected.

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