The Bill: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Requirements for Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents

The Trump administration said Wednesday it had finalized a rule tightening work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps which could cut hundreds of thousands from food stamps. This change has been met with overwhelming criticism, and concern for those who use food stamps to make ends meet. Approximately 36 million people currently receive SNAP assistance. Previously, forms of SNAP assistance came with conditions, for example, time limits and work requirements, but many states have been able to apply for waivers to those limitations in areas with high unemployment. The new rule, formalized Wednesday, aims to limit who qualifies for those exemptions by placing stricter standards on states in order to qualify for a waiver. Able-bodied adults without dependents living in areas with less than a 6% unemployment rate will have to prove 20 hours of work a week in order to receive consistent benefits (Aguilera).

Let’s break this down.

Trump has accomplished many of his campaign promises from back in 2016. One of the most significant has been the improvement of the economy and a significant increase in job availability for Americans. The unemployment rate is lowest it has been since 1969, and in November 2019 alone 266,000 new jobs were created (CNBC). This significant growth in jobs since 2016 has been felt across the nation. College graduates are finding it significantly easier to find employment than 5 years ago and the pay is higher do to the competition for employees. I live in the Eastern Suburbs of Pittsburgh and right here is a perfect example of this competition. Unskilled labor jobs have starting wages significantly over the minimum wage. Minimum wage in PA is at the national minimum of $7.25 an hour. However due to the lack of labor starting wages for many low skill jobs are up to around $10 an hour. For example, Sheetz is offering $10.75 an hour for all new employees. Sheetz is using this high wage as way to incentivize people to come work for them versus somewhere else.  Wendy’s is following a similar idea, along with many places in the Pittsburgh area.

With these increase in wages unskilled jobs offer a more “live-able” income. I put live-able in quotes, because I understand that some assistance is still needed. I did the math, if someone were to work 40 hours at $10.75, the would be making over $22,000 a year. Now this is in no way a sustainable wage for someone who has a dependent, and in most cities this would be a very tight budget for an individual. But here is what is important, Trump is not taking away Food Stamps, he is simply increasing the requirements for them to be obtained.

While this notion has been deemed unfair, lets go back to what the changes actually are. First, the changes only apply to “Able-bodied adults without dependents living in areas with less than a 6% unemployment” Which means this change is targeted to people who are living in areas where jobs are available and these people do not have any dependents. It is also important to note that the requirement is to prove 20 hours of work a week, which is only a half-time job according to national labor standards. Simply put if you are an able bodied adult, this is the push to get a job. This does not affect any children, disabled, or elderly, which is why it is such a beneficial change. Trump is strategically saving money without hurting our vulnerable populations.

What is the Cost?

In the 2018 fiscal year, the federal government spent $68 billion dollars on SNAP and other related food assistance programs. The average SNAP recipient received about $127 a month (or about $4.17 a day, $1.39 per meal). The SNAP benefit formula targets according to need: very poor households receive larger benefits than households with more income since they need more help affording an adequate diet. The benefit formula assumes that families will spend 30 percent of their net income for food; SNAP makes up the difference between that 30 percent contribution and the cost of the Thrifty Food Plan, a diet plan the U.S. Agriculture Department (USDA) established that is designed to be nutritionally adequate at a very low cost (Policy Basics).

One of Trump’s many campaign promises was to cut government spending, and with a bill of $68 million dollars this is a decent place to find some ways to save money. Trump’s changes to SNAP are projected to save 5.5 billion dollars in 5 years (USA Today).  I also think it is worth noting that the timing of the change is perfect. If Trump had done this at the beginning of his four years I could see why there would be some concern, but he did it right at a time where finding a job is easy. When Trump took office in 2016 the unemployment rate was at 4.9% (bls.gov) whereas it is now at a 50 year low of 3.5%

I look at my own job as a perfect example. The YMCA where I work, we are in desperate need of people to fill positions. Yes, they are all part-time, but we offer benefits with employment and still are unable to fully staff our facility. This not only our building, take one ten minute drive and you are bombarded with Help Wanted signs posted along every roadway and outside of most establishments. Instead of employees competing for jobs, many companies are competing for employees. You need a job, believe me you can find one, maybe not one you want, but they are available.

This is also an important note, there is a difference between finding a job, and finding a job that you like. Many people who “cannot find a job”, simply are unwilling to take jobs that they see as beneath them. Recent college graduates are the biggest culprit. This is something I completely understand. While job hunting myself, not even six months ago, I found it very challenging to not judge a job as beneath my value. Job hunting is exhausting and if you just got a degree, it feels like a waste to take a job that you wouldn’t have even needed the degree for. However, I do not believe that pride should be a reason to take government funding.

In Conclusion.

I believe that Trump’s changes to the SNAP program will be a great incentive to get people out and hunting for jobs. The more people we have working, the more these programs will actually be able to assist the people who need them. Working means paying taxes, and paying taxes means contributing to the government programs that are helping people make ends meet. So, in the end those collecting food stamps are simply contributing to system instead of only taking from the system, creating further economic growth. No one in America should be hungry, we live in the richest country in history, so we should care for the sick and poor, but it is hard to sustain a government program when the people taking from it are not putting anything back in. This allows everyone to have more money in their pockets. Food is a basic human need, which is why I am glad Trump made these changes in the way he did and at the time he did. Instead of pulling out the rug from under Americans, he is simply giving them a little push to stand on their own feet.

Sources

Aguilera, Jasmine. “The Trump Administration’s New Food Stamp Rule: What to Know.” Time, Time, 6 Dec. 2019, https://time.com/5744647/trump-food-stamps-rule/.

JeffCoxCNBCcom. “Jobs Growth Soars in November as Payrolls Surge by 266,000.” CNBC, CNBC, 6 Dec. 2019, https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/06/us-nonfarm-payrolls-november-2019.html.

The Bill – https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2019-26044.pdf

“Policy Basics: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).” Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 25 June 2019, https://www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/policy-basics-the-supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap.

Stanglin, Doug. “700,000 People Could Lose Food Stamps under Trump Administration’s New SNAP Rules.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 4 Dec. 2019, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/12/04/food-stamps-trump-administration-tightens-snap-work-requirements/2608297001/.

“Bureau of Labor Statistics Data.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000.