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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCongress passes $8.7 billion food stamp cut, bill now heads to Obama's desk for signature
Congress passes $8.7 billion food stamp cut02/04/14 03:13 PMUpdated 02/04/14 06:58 PM
By Ned Resnikoff
Its official: 850,000 households across the country are set to lose an average of $90 per month in food stamp benefits.
The Senate on Tuesday voted 68-32 to send the 2014 Farm Bill which includes an $8.7 billion cut to food stamps to President Obamas desk. Nine Democrats opposed the bill, and 46 members of the Democratic caucus voted for it, joining 22 Republicans.
The House passed the law by a similarly commanding margin last Wednesday. After the House vote, White House press secretary Jay Carney made clear that the president would sign off on the legislation.
We are pleased by the progress that weve seen, Carney said last week. As you know, the president made clear last fall that this was something that he believed Congress needed to and could act in a bipartisan way to get done. Obviously were not there yet. Final legislation has not reached his desk. So we await that happening and hope it does. If the bill, as it is currently designed, reaches his desk, he would sign it.
http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/congress-passes-farm-bill-food-stamp-cuts
Mass
(27,315 posts)Which I understand given that MA and NE got a disproportionate part of the cuts. I understand also the reason why (heat and eat), but for these families $70 is a lot.
http://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/markey-on-farm-bill-cuts-to-snap-would-lead-to-more-hungry-families-and-children-
Washington (February 4, 2014) Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the following statement today after voting against passage of the Farm Bill. The Farm Bill cuts the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by $8.6 billion over ten years. Nationally, it is estimated that 850,000 households will suffer cuts to benefits. In Massachusetts, 125,000 households may lose $70 per month in food assistance.
historylovr
(1,557 posts)liberalmuse
(18,672 posts)I really wish karma weren't a fantasy when I read stories like this.
Travis_0004
(5,417 posts)A lot of states have a practice sometimes reffered to as heat at eat. If a resident lives somewhere a and they don't have an energy bill (included in rent), they sometimes get signed up for a very small check from a heating assistance program (LIHEAP). This check might be 5.00 a year or less.
Because they are signed up for LIHEAP, they can deduct the full amount allowed under state law for utility bills (even if they have no bills), so they are getting deductions based on expenses they never incurred. I really don't have a problem limiting this practice to people that get an actual check from LIHEAP (not a trivial check just to get a deduction).
People affected by this can still deduct utility expenses when calculating their net income for food stamp benefits, so this change simply makes the program more fair for everybody.
http://www.msnbc.com/all/food-stamp-users-face-another-hit