Senate Republican Whip John Thune sees expanding work requirements in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program as a way to cut the cost of the nutrition title in a new farm bill.
“There might be a way to work something out where you could achieve some savings in the nutrition title, either with regard to work requirements or other types of provisions,” Thune, a Republican member of the Senate Ag Committee who will be working on his fifth farm bill this year, said on Agri-Pulse Newsmakers.
“But one way or the other, I think these issues are going to get voted on. I think that's appropriate.”
In the recent debt-ceiling bill released this week, House Republican leaders proposed raising the age limit for work requirements to 55 from the current 49. A group of GOP members had proposed raising the work requirement to 65 and also have it apply to parents of children over 6.
Farm groups have repeatedly called for a more supportive farm safety net through revised reference prices. It is estimated that it would require $20 billion to increase reference prices by 10%, and about $50 billion to increase reference prices by 20%.
Reference prices in the Price Loss Coverage program have not been updated since their authorization in the 2014 farm bill.
“Commodity groups really want it,” Thune said. “They have a very solid case for why that needs to be done.”
Source: agri-pulse.com
Photo Credit: SNAP
Categories: South Dakota, Rural Lifestyle