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On November 18, 2000, President Clinton announced new steps to further remove barriers facing working families and help get them the food they need. He recognized that 17 million persons rely on food stamps for proper nourishment, but many others do not realize they are eligible for food stamps. Due to his concern and commitment to improving the Food Stamp Program for working families, President Clinton announced the following:

First, the Food Stamp Program will give states the option of providing recipients with an automatic three-month food stamp benefit (transitional food stamp benefit) for those households leaving the TANF program. This helps ensure these families are not intentionally or inadvertently cut off from food stamp benefits to which they are entitled to.

Second, the Food Stamp Program would eliminate unnecessary bureaucracies by allowing recipients up to six months to report income changes. This reduces the amount of time clients have to spend in food stamp offices and away from work.

Third, the Food Stamp Program is making it easier for food stamp recipients to own a reliable car without having to sacrifice proper nutrition for their children. To meet welfare reform's goal of moving people into the workforce, working persons need a means to get to jobs. Therefore, building upon steps taken in the Agriculture Appropriations Bill signed in October 2000, the inaccessible resource test for vehicles for the Food Stamp Program is increasing from $1,000 (in proposed food stamp rule based on President Clinton initiative) to $1,500.

"Supporting hard-pressed working families is the right policy for America. It's also the smart thing to do," said President Clinton in his radio address on November 18, 2000

Finally, the Food Stamp Program is requiring that states let recipients know that they are still eligible for food stamps when they start work again.

President Clinton urged the nation's governors to implement the above steps so that working families get the nutritional benefits they need and deserve. Clinton also urged Congress to restore food stamp benefits to legal immigrants, and to raise the minimum wage for all working families this year.

Source: Office of the Press Secretary, The White House, Radio Address by the President to the Nation, November 18, 2000.