As U.S. economic conditions improve and the overall jobless rate falls, one assistance program aimed at helping struggling unemployed individuals is the federal food stamps program.
The program – officially referred to as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) – is set to reinstate a three-month cap on benefits in some areas for unemployed adults without children. There is an exception for people working or attending a job training program at least 20 hours a week.
The three-month provision was established in the mid-1990s as a compromise between lawmakers who sought a safety net for people and those wanting to provide beneficiaries an incentive to work.
But the last recession prompted most U.S. states to seek a waiver of the three-month limit because of the surge in unemployment.
The liberal think-tank Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has predicted that now that the economy is steadily improving, the 90-day cap will be reinstated and leave up to one million Americans without food stamps.
“The loss of this food assistance, which averages approximately $150 to $200 per person per month for this group, will likely cause serious hardship among many,” the policy institute said.
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