With the 2024 U.S. presidential election around the corner, discussions are intensifying especially with regards to the future of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) popularly called food stamps. Kamala Harris and Donald Trump seem to hold completely different opinions about this benefit scheme that covers more than 42 million Americans.
What is Harris’ proposal on food stamps
As the current Vice President, Kamala Harris has consistently supported programs that seek to enhance food security across the United States. For most of her years in politics, she has actively engaged herself in ways of promoting initiatives that will avail nutritious meals for low-income households. One of the key aspects of her candidature is the need for expanding food benefits and offering increased assistance to families that are experiencing difficulties as a result of low income.
If elected as the next U.S president, Harris plans to enhance the SNAP program by increasing benefit amounts and ensuring more American families have access to these benefits. Her involvement in the Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2020 (CMG Act 2020) which was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic is evident that she is dedicated to the sustenance of food stamps benefits. This act was put in place to ensure that SNAP benefits are sufficient to assist families in covering the cost of their nutritional needs throughout the month. According to Harris, “Existing nutrition benefits don’t get people through the end of the month. Folks are looking to Congress to take immediate action to help them make ends meet.”
Moreover, Harris has shown her commitment to food security through other legislative efforts such as the FEMA Empowering Essential Deliveries (FEED) Act which helped the vulnerable American families during the pandemic receive essential food deliveries. Additionally, she strongly promotes the Food Donation Improvement Act and Hunger-Free Americans Acts that aims at reducing food waste and improving access to nutritious food for all Americans. If elected she is likely to continue advancing these initiatives calling for stronger food security policies.
Additionally, before becoming the vice president of the United states, Harris has always been passionate about advancing the food stamp project to ensure that millions of Americans, particularly children from low income families, the elderly and persons with disability are well fed.
“The vast majority of Americans who rely on SNAP are children, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities. We should be doing everything we can to ensure they have access to food, not pulling out the rug from under millions of them” – Kamala Harris.
Donald Trump’s proposal on food stamp
Donald Trump, on the other hand, has a significantly different perspective on SNAP. During his presidency, Trump proposed changes to the program that would have cut benefits for many Americans. His administration aimed to tighten eligibility requirements and reduce government spending on SNAP.
In December 2019, the Trump administration announced a plan to cut off benefits for approximately 700,000 Americans by enforcing strict work requirements.
According to a report by Washington Post, “The administration’s proposed rule change is the latest in a series of attacks on the food stamp program, which have included trying to impose stricter work requirements on beneficiaries and restricting eligibility”.
This proposition sought to limit waivers which the states would use to evade the federal employment requirements. The new rule demanded that adults without dependents should work or be enrolled in a training program for at least 80 hours every month in order to continue receiving benefits. Trump opined that these changes were necessary to “restore the original intent of the food stamps program” in the context of a strong economy and low unemployment rates.
This proposal during president Trump’s tenure was expected to benefit the government by saving them a whopping $5.5 billion within five years. Notwithstanding, however, critics opposed these cuts who said that it would lead to increased hunger for many American citizens especially when there is an economic crunch. In 2020 the proposed legislation suffered enormous opposition and finally a federal judge ruled against it because she believed food insecurity would increase with such actions taking place at the time of the pandemic.
Differences between Harris and Trump food stamp proposal
The primary difference lies in the objectives of each proposal. The democratic nominee Harris, emphasizes expanding the availability of benefits for SNAP, increasing its funding, and ensuring that enough nutritious food is available for every American. On the other hand, Trump’s method aims at fostering strict eligibility requirements thus reducing the availability of SNAP benefits to most American families to cut down government expenses.
What’s at stake in the 2024 election
As we approach the 2024 election period, the future of food stamps is uncertain. If Harris becomes president, it might mean more resources for food stamps and wider access to them. However, if Trump wins then that may mean tougher eligibility criteria as well as lesser expenditure on poverty programmes. This election result will be critical for millions of Americans who depend on SNAP in order to survive.
