GOP Lawmakers Push for Stricter Work Requirements for Food Stamp Recipients

Republican lawmakers have introduced a bill called the America Works Act, which would end a waiver program that allows states to bypass work requirements for some of their residents. The bill would also require more older workers to prove they have a job or are in a training program in order to receive food stamps. The push to add more work requirements comes at a difficult time for many lower-income households, with 32 states slashing food-stamp benefits this month in what some experts are calling a "hunger cliff." However, the Center on Budget and Policy Proposals (CBPP) said the latest proposal should be rejected, as most adults who are under 65 and who get SNAP benefits are already working or are temporarily between jobs.