Republicans want a concession on SNAP reform.
Leah Douglas, 6-7-2023 – ["U.S. food aid eligibility battle could resurface in farm bill," Yahoo Entertainment, https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/u-food-aid-eligibility-battle-193925397.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAEmJ_YE3GQsZyEsJ10lw7vW7w9mQqbgFl9bcdMLSruszmq-Rpx2W05w9oOharZbFNGmBVCzhzjCjhyZs7zVgj3bHhxLaZ3f9sMohAe8SpvqPbaaSO6CZycgxbpm_FxOS-WQTVUA2OnexrVH7xUBndGIXuKwMv-Am2KXE87bhUy11, Ali]
Yet after the bill passed the House on June 1, McCarthy signaled the conversation was not over. "Let's go get the rest of the work requirements," he said in an interview.
At a nutrition-focused hearing of the House Agriculture Committee on Wednesday, Democratic members fumed about the debt plan and warned against any further changes to SNAP.
The committee, alongside its Senate counterpart, is engaged in a months-long process to pass a new farm bill, which funds U.S. farm commodity, conservation and nutrition programs like SNAP.
"Hunger should not be a political issue," said Representative Jahana Hayes, a Connecticut Democrat. "[Republicans'] obsession with cutting food assistance is jarring."
Republicans suggested, meanwhile, that the farm bill should include further SNAP reforms. During negotiations over the debt plan, Republicans argued that work requirements would encourage more low-income people to get jobs and reduce their dependence on federal aid.
The farm bill is passed every five years and is often the site of partisan tensions over nutrition spending.
About 80% of the upcoming farm bill - which the Congressional Budget Office projected in May will cost $1.5 trillion over 10 years - will be spent on nutrition programs.