Approximately 47 million Americans received food stamps last year, but only a relatively small number of work or looking for work, as a condition of receiving aid.
Now, House Republicans are considering whether it should be strengthened, as they seek to cut $ 81 billion in a program, which has doubled in the past five years, the cost of the job requirements.
A small group of Republican lawmakers Wednesday to discuss trimming program, now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. One of the ways discussed in the meeting was suggested by Rep. Steve Southerland, R-FLA, allows - but does not require - individual countries testing requirements.
After pushing through the Food Stamp Act from the chamber through the farm bill earlier this month, the United Food and Agriculture after the failure of the bill, House Republican leaders denied the feeding program. Conservatives demand for greater reductions Food Stamp Program, Republican leaders said they will take up the problem. But it is unclear if they will be able to find enough to reach a consensus on this issue, their caucus to move quickly - or at all.
After the meeting, House Agriculture Chairman Frank Lucas, R-Oklahoma, said food stamps debate will be postponed until the fall, as the Republicans try and decide their course have a good chance.
After the merger of the farm bill was eventually defeated during the debate, the House approved Southerland amendments. But more far-reaching amendment would cut $ 300 million annually from the program in the most need of able-bodied adults to receive benefits was rejected. Many moderate Republicans opposed the amendment, proposed Congressman Tim Huelskamp of R - McCain.
Wednesday before the meeting, Southerland said his job requirements proposal is justified, because it is optional and not cut state dollar plan.
"I think you have to have moral reform, you have a fiscal reform," he said.
Need to accept food stamps concept is not new. Welfare Act of 1996 "has developed a number of able-bodied adults who do not have family members work requirements, however, the 2009 stimulus law and the exemption allowed by the Obama administration has stopped in most countries those requirements.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Wednesday, looking for deeper work requirements, the Republicans who actually get food stamps to ignore. He said that 92% of the recipients children, the elderly, the disabled or people who are already working.
Vilsack said Southerland amendment "arbitrary" and said it would make more sense to improve the national employment and training programs to help food stamp recipients finding and keeping jobs.
Some Republicans, including Wisconsin, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan favored Another suggestion is to put all the money the state and federal SNAP cover it. Ryan's budget also proposed to cut about $ 130 billion a year food stamps. However, these so-called "LSG" state, it may be more moderate members of the Republican caucus cut too much.
Either way, any conservative House-passed bill would be difficult to reconcile with the Senate version of the Farm Bill, which makes all the programs together so that only half a percentage point cut food stamps. In the Democratic-led Senate and the Obama administration's strong opposition, will make it difficult to recommend any Republicans become law.
If the two chambers can not agree, this seems to be a very likely scenario, Congress may have to extend the current farm bill - Consumer food stamps and current levels - the second time. The law was originally due in September last year, the so-called fiscal cliff as a larger part of the deal was extended New Year.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-NEV, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, have said they will not pass another extension. But it may be the only option, otherwise they will be eliminated agricultural projects.
Speech in the House last Friday, Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-VA, does not say how he expects the leaders of Food Stamp Act, except to say they work on it.
"We intend to proceed deliberately, looking policies to reform these programs in the vein of trying to get those who are most vulnerable, meaning they need relief, while payment confirmed facts, our fiscal challenge, we must deal with," Cantor Seoul said.
 



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