Another factor in recent (11-1-2013) cuts in food stamps.11-3-2013 Washington DC:
At midnight (10-31), federal taxpayer stimulus money that was approved in 2009 for food stamps in response to the recession expired. The expiration cuts monthly distributions by 5.5 percent.
For a mother with two children, the reduction means about $29 less per month. For a family of four, it’s a cut of about $36 a month, to $632.
The cuts will increase pressure on food banks and food pantries, which have seen record demand since the recession and tepid recovery, according to Juliana Chase-Morefield, executive director of Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio. About 44,000 of the 1.8 million Ohioans receiving food stamps are in Lorain County. In June, 34,000 people used food pantries served by Second Harvest, she said.
Many are food-stamp recipients who use pantries when their food stamps run out. Chase-Morefield, who has been involved with food assistance since 1998, said anxiety among those running food banks and pantries is the highest she’s seen.
“We don’t have endless supplies of food,” Chase-Morefield said. “We wish we did.”
Chase-Morefield said for some, the cuts may mean choosing between whether their children eat or rent is paid. About half those using food stamps are children and about 41 percent work or are in households where someone works, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which runs the program.
The reduction comes in the wake of cuts in food stamp eligibility and funding. In January, able-bodied people between 18 and 50 without children not working 20 hours per week or enrolled in a job training program will be cut off from food stamps in 72 counties, including Lorain County.
In September, the Republican-majority House of Representatives passed a bill cutting food stamps by $39 billion between 2014 and 2023. The 5-percent cut would reduce the number of food-stamp recipients from 48 million to 34 million by 2023, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
One of those voting yes was U.S. Rep. Bob Gibbs, R-Lakeville, who represents a portion of Lorain County. Gibbs said he expects a compromise bill being negotiated in a House-Senate conference committee will be completed by year’s end.
The Democratic-majority Senate bill cut food stamps $4 billion. Gibbs said he expects the final cut will be between $10 billion and $20 billion. “The people who need it are going to get it and not people that are abusing the system,” he said.
While Gibb’s cited “quite a few reports of abuse,” the USDA said just 1 percent of benefits involve fraud, down from about 4 percent in 1993. Gibbs said food stamp cuts reduce the deficit predicted by CBO to drop to $642 billion this year, the lowest since 2008. Nonetheless, the cutting has received bipartisan criticism.
“There seems to be a war on the poor,” Gov. John Kasich told The New York Times on Monday. “If you’re poor, somehow you’re shiftless and lazy.”
U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo, called the cuts “unforgivable” saying they will hit children and the elderly particularly hard.
“I can’t think of a more cruel act than to take food away from people,” said Kaptur, who represents Lorain. “It’s as low as it gets.”
Kaptur and Chase-Morefieldurged Republicans who voted for cuts to visit a food pantry to better understand clients’ needs.
“It sounds easy on paper to cut money out of food stamps,” Chase-Morefield said. “But these aren’t numbers. These are real people.” ..Source.. by Evan Goodenow
From a member of the Conference Committee:
ReplyDeleteThank you for contacting me about your opposition to Senator Vitter's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) amendment to the Senate Farm Bill. I appreciate hearing from Vermonters on issues they care about the most.
On June 10, 2013, the Senate passed the Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013, which reauthorizes and amends the programs under the Farm Bill for five additional years. This legislation would establish food and farm policies, including nutrition benefits such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), as well as rural development, conservation, and energy programs. It is estimated to save taxpayers more than $23 billion and support more than 16 million American jobs while also making important strides in conservation and wildlife protection.
The 2013 Senate Farm Bill contains initiatives to encourage better health, increased access to local foods, improved nutrition for children and seniors, and support for programs that promote self-sufficiency and food security in the nation's low-income communities. Specifically, the bill contains $100 million in mandatory funding to encourage purchases of fruits and vegetables by SNAP consumers at retail outlets, including farmers' markets, support for food banks, farmers' markets, and food hubs. The Senate Farm Bill includes the amendment I offered last year that will allow SNAP recipients to use their benefits to purchase a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share; and a pilot program to support bringing local food into our schools. The Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program is also expanded in this bill and will support farm to plate initiatives like the ones that are thriving in Vermont.
Unfortunately, during debate of the Farm Bill, an amendment sponsored by SenatorVitter of Louisiana was included in the underlying bill by unanimous consent that would prevent violent crime offenders from ever receiving SNAP benefits. This amendment undermines my philosophy of second chances. It extends punishment beyond the original term and makes it harder for ex-offenders and their families to get back on their feet and reintegrate into our communities, making all of us less safe. I am hopeful we can remove this provision when we go to conference with the House of Representatives.
Please know that as a senior member of the Agriculture Committee and a member of the conference committee, I will continue to defend Vermont interests and ensure the final Farm Bill supports Vermont's farms, rural communities, and families in need.
Sincerely,
PATRICK LEAHY
United States Senator