Home > Take Action > Action Alert - 3/23/05 > TANF Threatens Food Stamps

TANF Legislation Threatens Food Stamps

Full Senate action on TANF reauthorization legislation is expected in April. Download more information on recent Senate Finance Committee action.

The Senate Finance Committee legislation makes no changes to the Food Stamp Program. By contrast, a pending House bill (H.R. 240) poses significant threats to the Food Stamp Program. First, it would allow up to five states to operate a Food Stamp block grant in lieu of the regular program. Funding in these states would be frozen at the FY 2005 level the state received and recipients would not have all of the protections accorded under the regular Food Stamp Program. Second, it would grant sweeping powers to federal agencies to waive program rules in the Food Stamp and many other programs. (By contrast, no additional waiver authority in the Senate Finance Committee bill would extend to the Food Stamp Program.)

H.R. 240’s Food Stamp provisions risk the program’s ability to respond effectively to changes in need, risk state shifts of food stamp dollars to non-nutrition purposes, and erode the national benefit structure and rules.

House and Senate floor action on the TANF bill is expected in April. A conference following floor action on TANF in both Houses could occur this spring.

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