UPDATE: Deal to pass farm bill scraps House GOP plan for new food stamp work requirements

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Washington Post



Lawmakers have struck a final farm bill deal that scraps a plan — backed by House Republicans and President Trump — that would have added new work requirements on food stamp beneficiaries, according to a key GOP Senator.

Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kansas), chair of the Senate agriculture committee, confirmed Thursday that the farm bill deal does not include House GOP plans to add new work requirements for older food stamp recipients and for parents of children age 6 and older.

The Senate and House had been at an impasse for months over the $400 billion farm bill, which allocates federal funds for farm subsidies, food stamps and conservation efforts.

The four lawmakers leading the negotiations — Sens. Roberts and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), the leaders of the Senate Agriculture Committee, as well as Reps. Mike Conaway (R-Tex.) and Rep. Collin C. Peterson (D-Minn.) — announced Thursday morning they had an agreement in principle.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/congress-scraps-house-gop-food-stamp-work-requirement-plan-in-farm-bill-deal/2018/11/29/04854362-f3f7-11e8-aeea-b85fd44449f5_story.html

---

Original title and article -

Democrats block House GOP plan for food stamp work requirements as Congress cuts deal on massive farm bill

By Washington Post Staff
November 29 at 2:35 PM

Lawmakers have struck a final farm-bill deal that scraps a plan — backed by House Republicans and President Trump — that would have added new work requirements for older food stamp recipients and for parents with children 6 and older.

The work requirements were included in the House’s version of the farm bill, a massive program that doles out billions in farm subsidies, food aid and conservation funding. The final deal appears closer to a bipartisan Senate version of the farm bill that did not include the work requirements.

This is a developing story. It will be updated.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2018/11/29/democrats-block-house-gop-plan-for-food-stamp-work-requirements-as-congress-cuts-deal-on-massive-farm-bill/?utm_term=.0255e31e162b

[Zoonart]

1. Alright...let's turn them into the lamest of lame ducks.

[Achilleaze]

10. Lame cucks (R)

It's a republican obsession thingy.

[Zoonart]

12. I stand corrected.

🌊

[Apollyonus]

2. I wonder what those heartless republicans

will think of next

[Hekate]

3. What's bizarre is that food stamps/food subsidies help farmers a lot, because Uncle Sam is buying...

...their produce. GOP-bizarre, that is.

[DownriverDem]

17. Work requirement

Why do repubs go for the work requirement when it comes to folks needing health care and food? There are folks that can't do it and it just reeks of meanness.

[Hamlette]

20. work requirements and food stamps

I was the lawyer for our state's food stamp program for many years.

There is case law that says you can't make assistance recipients work for less than minimum wage. That is about 20 hours per month. An able bodied adult with no dependents (ABAWD) can get food stamps provided they work the requisite number of hours. The problem is finding work for them to do for no more than 5 hours per week. So, the feds have adjusted the work requirement to where it is almost non existent now. (For instance, you don't have to work if you live in a county that has high unemployment). You would not believe how labor intensive it is to administer a work requirement that is so restrictive. Having a state employee looking to find placements for ABAWDs. It would be a very expensive requirement to enlarge the work requirement so it would apply to people with dependents which is why, IMHO, the Republicans backed down. No one wants to give a job to someone who can only work 20 hours per month.

[mpcamb]

21. Makes me wonder if it's worth much. A hard-to-enforce requirement for a farm bill.

Exhibit B is a giveaway to Grassly, while 'A' is a paperwork nightmare.
Whaddaya think, Hamlette?

[Hamlette]

22. it's not the paperwork, its finding some work for them to do

you can't make them work if there is no work avail so we had to go out and found employers who would provide work and supervision for 20 hours max per month. Another thing to know, those who must work currently are only eligible for food stamps for 3 months. So find an employer who is willing to give them a job. They just don't exist. Hence we got waivers.

One other thing I remember is the Republicans scream "cut cut cut" but end up quietly caving in the end. During the recession, 2008 through 2012 I remember republicans screaming whenever it came time to extend benefits. But remember why we have these programs, to help support businesses and farmers in tough times. During the depression, with high unemployment, people didn't have any money for food or other goods which means the grocery store, clothing store, hardware store etc goes out of business too causing more unemployment. Hence the depression. Food stamps are not that old (1964) but same idea. It's the government paying farmers and helping out kids at the same time.

[LonePirate]

4. Crap like this - GOP benefit suppression - stops in five weeks.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. Yes.

Finally!

[trusty elf]

6. How about a work requirement for pResident* lazy ass?

[csziggy]

7. Are those little KKK hoodies sticking out of his pocket?

[trusty elf]

8. Yeah, but it's fake, of course.

He wasn't wearing a bone spur hat either.

[littlemissmartypants]

9. The Russian flag lapel pin is a nice touch. nt

[keithbvadu2]

14. Loyal Trumpster proudly holding Trump Russian flag

Loyal Trumpster proudly holding Trump Russian flag

[Progressive Jones]

23. Treasonous swine...

[iluvtennis]

15. Love the whole picture - it's spot on.

[Pa-Kid]

13. No if he works he will just mess up America more instead

He needs an all expense paid permanent vacation to Siberia.

[Cha]

19. Brilliant, trusty elf!

[mastermind]

11. I see they just raided tRumps tax attorneys office in Chicago nt

[keithbvadu2]

16. Dotard Donald cannot blame democrats when he has both sides of Congress in his own party.

Dotard Donald cannot blame democrats when he has both sides of Congress in his own party.

[pecosbob]

18. 'Democrats block House GOP plan for food stamp work requirements as Congress cuts deal'

Now that's the kind of headline I want to see...