The Ministry of agriculture of USA (USDA) plans to tighten the poor getting food stamps — food stamps within the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Now local authorities might not regard the lack of employment of the applicants for the vouchers as the basis for refusal, if unemployment in the region is 20% higher than the national average level, which is now equal to 3.7%. The administration trump wants to leave this indulgence only for the regions where unemployment is 7%. It could deprive hundreds of thousands of Americans public support.
So far, none of the state this level reaches 7%. Most of the unemployed in the country — in Alaska (6.4 percent).
Currently, to keep your SNAP benefits for able-bodied childless Americans between the ages of 18 and 49 must work at least 20 hours per week. The new bill proposes to increase the «able-bodied» food stamp recipients age 59 years. Parents with children older than 6 years will also have to work or undergo retraining.
Critics believe the proposed restriction is excessive: they complicate the lives of families who have difficult.
«Administrative changes should not be determined by ideology. I do not support unilateral and unjustified changes which can take away the bread of the families,» said Senator Debbie Stabenow from the Committee on agriculture.
Supporters of tighter regulations believe that the innovation will spur the poor to seek actively a job, including through a special professional training.
The Minister of agriculture Sonny Perdue also believes that tougher requirements in the long term will help Americans to become self-sufficient, no longer dependent on the state.
