Milling & Baking News - January 1, 2019 - 17

Washington

U.S.D.A. moves to limit waivers
to SNAP work requirements
WASHINGTON - Secretary of Ag- in an employment program for at
riculture Sonny Perdue on Dec. 20 least 20 hours a week to
unveiled a proposed rule aimed at continue to receive benefits
limiting the use by states of waiv- for more than three months
ers allowing them to exempt certain over a 36-month period.
able-bodied adults without depen- But states may request to
dents (ABAWDs) from meeting work waive the time limit in arrequirements to receive benefits un- eas with an unemployment
der the Supplemental Nutrition As- rate above 10% or where
there are not sufficient jobs,
sistance Program.
Mr. Perdue announced the pro- which current regulations
posed rule just hours before Presi- primarily define as an undent Donald Trump was to sign employment rate 20% above the nathe Agriculture Improvement Act tional average.
The U.S.D.A. said that in 2016
of 2018, the farm bill, into law. Mr.
Trump had threatened to veto any there were 3.8 million individual
farm legislation that didn't include ABAWDs on the SNAP rolls, with
the expanded work requirements 2.8 million (or about 74%) of them
for SNAP beneficiaries as con- not working.
The U.S.D.A. indicated its propostained in the House farm bill. But
the House SNAP revisions had no al would help to ensure that work
Democratic support and were
not included in the final com'Long-term reliance on
promise bill overwhelmingly
passed by both the Senate and
government assistance
House of Representatives on
has never been part of
Dec. 13.
the American dream.'
In the leadup to the farm
- Sonny Perdue,
bill votes, Mr. Perdue assured
Secretary of Agriculture
House conservatives and Mr.
Trump that the U.S. Department of Agriculture, on its
own authority, could impose cer- provisions are waived only when
tain reforms on SNAP. This helped necessary. The proposed rule would
ensure the large majorities that ap- eliminate state-wide waivers unproved the farm bill while giving the less the state qualifies for extended
president a way to sign the legisla- unemployment benefits. Additiontion while asserting his administra- ally, a request for a waiver would
tion was tackling SNAP reform on require full endorsement by the state
government.
another front.
The proposed rule would limit
Mr. Perdue pointed to what he
said was "out-of-control flexibility waivers for larger geographic areas
in SNAP" that necessitated his pro- within states that may include sections with sufficient available jobs,
posed reforms.
"Long-term reliance on govern- i.e. waivers would become more loment assistance has never been part calized. Waivers would continue to
of the American dream," Mr. Perdue be allowed in local areas with high
said. "As we make benefits avail- unemployment relative to the naable to those who truly need them, tional average but only when the lowe must also encourage participants cal unemployment rate is at least 7%.
The proposed rule also would limto take proactive steps toward selfsufficiency. Moving people to work it the duration of waivers to ensure
is common-sense policy, particularly that they reflect current economic
at a time when the unemployment condition, and it would retain the
statutory waiver standard - unrate is at a generational low."
The proposed rule relates to able- employment above 10% for a recent
bodied adults without dependents 12-month period.
The U.S.D.A. suggested the probetween the ages of 18 and 49. The
rule would not apply to the elderly, posed rule may result in a 75% reduction in area currently covered by
the disabled or pregnant women.
Under current SNAP requirements, waivers with an estimated savings of
ABAWDs must work or participate $15 billion over 10 years.
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Additionally, the U.S.D.A. pointed out under current law, states receive exemptions from time limits
for a portion of their caseload that
they may use to extend eligibility
for a limited number of
ABAWDs. States have
discretion to use or not
to use the exemptions
available to them in
a given year. Current
regulations allow states
to accumulate these exemptions year after year.
If states do not use the
exemptions they have
earned, it leads to a large buildup of
exemptions.
The proposed rule would stop
these exemptions from carrying over
and accumulating.
Representative K. Michael Conaway of Texas, outgoing chairman
of the House Committee on Agriculture, praised the proposed rule.
"This is an issue we took
head-on in the House-passed
farm bill, creating a roadmap
for states to more effectively engage ABAWDs in this
booming economy," Mr. Conaway said. "Paired with the
farm bill's modernized E&T
programming and increased
investment, this proposed
rule will allow ABAWDs to
seek new opportunities and achieve
their goals. I applaud the proposed
rule and proudly stand with the
Trump administration in demonstrating the importance of state accountability and recipient success."
A contrary view was voiced by
James D. Weill, president, Food Research & Action Center, who charged
the Trump administration was politicizing at the state level the waiver
process as established by Congress
in current law.
"Its action flies in the face of congressional intent, coming just days
after Congress passed a new farm
bill that left the current area waiver
provisions in place," he said. "The
administration's release of its proposed rule sends struggling people a
cruel message this holiday season -
not one of hope and goodwill, but
one of greater hunger and hardship
if the rule is adopted. "
The U.S.D.A. encouraged all interested parties to provide input on the
proposed rule in coming days. The
comment period will be open for 60
days after the proposed rule is published in the Federal Register. MBN
Milling & Baking News

January 1, 2019 / 17

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Milling & Baking News - January 1, 2019

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