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Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
GOP's food stamp plan is found to violate Senate rules. It's the latest setback for Trump's big bill
WASHINGTON (AP) — In another blow to the Republicans' tax and spending cut bill, the Senate parliamentarian has advised that a proposal to shift some food stamps costs from the federal government to states — a centerpiece of GOP savings efforts — would violate the chamber's rules. While the parliamentarian's rulings are advisory, they are rarely, if ever, ignored. The Republican leadership was scrambling on Saturday, days before voting is expected to begin on President Donald Trump's package that he wants to be passed into law by the Fourth of July. The loss is expected to be costly to Republicans. They have been counting on some tens of billions of potential savings from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, to help offset the costs of the $4.5 trillion tax breaks plan. The parliamentarian let stand for now a provision that would impose new work requirements for older Americans, up to age 65, to receive food stamp aid. 'We will keep fighting to protect families in need,' said Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, the top Democrat on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, which handles the SNAP program. 'The Parliamentarian has made clear that Senate Republicans cannot use their partisan budget to shift major nutrition assistance costs to the states that would have inevitably led to major cuts,' she said. The committee chairman, Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., said in a statement that his team is examining options that would comply with Senate rules to achieve savings and "to ensure SNAP serves those who truly need it while being responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars.' What's at stake in the big bill The parliamentarian's ruling is the latest in a series of setbacks as staff works through the weekend, often toward midnight, to assess the 1,000-page proposal. It all points to serious trouble ahead for the bill, which was approved by the House on a party-line vote last month over unified opposition from Democrats and is now undergoing revisions in the Senate. At its core, the goal of the multitrillion-dollar package is to extend tax cuts from Trump's first term that would otherwise expire if Congress fails to act. It also adds new ones, including no taxes on tips or overtime pay. To help offset the costs of lost tax revenue, the Republicans are proposing cutbacks to federal Medicaid, health care and food programs — some $1 trillion. Additionally, the package boosts national security spending by about $350 billion, including to pay for Trump's mass deportations, which are running into protests nationwide. Trump has implored Republicans, who have the majority in Congress, to deliver on his top domestic priority, but the details of the package, with its hodgepodge of priorities, is drawing deeper scrutiny. All told, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the package, as approved by the House, would add at least $2.4 trillion to the nation's red ink over the decade and leave 10.9 million more people without health care coverage. Additionally, it would reduce or eliminate food stamps for more than 3 million people. The Senate's strict 'Byrd Rule' The parliamentarian's office is tasked with scrutinizing the bill to ensure it complies with the so-called Byrd Rule, which is named after the late Sen. Robert C. Byrd, and bars many policy matters in the budget reconciliation process now being used. Late Friday, the parliamentarian issued its latest findings. It determined that Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee's proposal to have the states pick up more of the tab for covering food stamps — what Republicans call a new cost-sharing arrangement — would be in violation of the Byrd Rule. Many lawmakers said the states would not be able to absorb the new requirement on food aid, which has long been provided by the federal government. They warned many would lose access to SNAP benefits used by more than 40 million people. Initially, the CBO had estimated about $128 billion in savings under the House's proposal to shift SNAP food aid costs to the states. Cost estimates for the Senate's version, which made changes to the House approach, have not yet been made publicly available. More questions and decisions ahead The parliamentarian's office rulings leave GOP leaders with several options. They can revise the proposals to try to comply with Senate rules or strip them from the package altogether. They can also risk a challenge during floor voting, which would require the 60-vote threshold to overcome. That would be unlikely in the split chamber with Democrats opposing the overall package. The parliamentarian's latest advice also said the committee's provision to make certain immigrants ineligible for food stamps would violate the rule. It found several provisions from the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, which is led by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to be in violation. They include one to provide $250 million to Coast Guard stations damaged by fire in 2025, namely one on South Padre Island in Texas. Still to come are some of the most important rulings from the parliamentarian. One will assess the GOP's approach that relies on 'current policy' rather than 'current law' as the baseline for determining whether the bill will add to the nation's deficits. Already, the parliamentarian delivered a serious setback Thursday, finding that the GOP plan to gut the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which was a core proposal coming from the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, would be in violation of the Byrd Rule. The parliamentarian has also advised of violations over provisions from the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee that would rollback Environmental Protection Agency emissions standards on certain vehicles and from the Senate Armed Services Committee to require the defense secretary to provide a plan on how the Pentagon intends to spend the tens of billions of new funds. The new work requirements in the package would require many of those receiving SNAP or Medicaid benefits to work 80 hours a month or engage in other community or educational services. ___ Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
The Friday Checkout: Senate Republicans propose their own SNAP changes
Earlier this week, Senate Republicans released that chamber's proposed version of President Donald Trump's tax agenda - what many say includes a scaled-back plan to cut SNAP funding compared with the House's legislation. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee Chair John Boozman told The Hill that the Senate softened the House-passed language cutting SNAP by giving states the chance to receive more federal funding if they reduce errors in paying out food assistance. While the House bill would cut federal SNAP funding by 5% "straight off the top," the Senate's version would let states avoid federal funding cuts by getting their error rate "down to zero," Boozman told the publication. Senate Republicans' adjustments to the tax bill could set up a collision course in the House, NPR reported. As negotiations continue, how SNAP could be impacted remains a top concern for the grocery industry. SNAP shoppers spend an average of $801 on groceries monthly, roughly 19% more compared to non-SNAP shoppers, according to recent Numerator data. While "encouraged" by the Senate's revised approach to SNAP reform, the National Grocers Association said in a statement on Wednesday that it wants the Senate to "strengthen the bill further" and preserve funding for SNAP-Ed, an education and obesity prevention program. The trade association also said it wants the chamber to "reduce [the bill's] impact on grocers and the families they serve," but did not specify how. The NGA said the Senate bill took a "more measured and practical approach" compared to the House bill by proposing to ensure that SNAP benefits remain fully federally funded when states maintain low payment error rates. The NGA said that this approach would curtail $80 billion in SNAP changes. In case you missed it Food Lion's new private label pizza The Ahold Delhaize-owned banner announced it's adding nine selections to its lineup of private label frozen pizzas. The pizzas range in price from $3.49 to $5.49 and include a variety of flavors and crust types, including classic crust cheese pizza, rising crust three-meat pizza and thin crust BBQ. Low-price pizzas are a focus for Food Lion right now, as the chain also offers a 99-cent thin-crust personal pizza. Albertsons Media Collective launches in-store digital display network Albertsons already has one of the leading digital advertising networks in grocery. Now, it's looking to do the same for in-store retail media. On Monday, Albertsons Media Collective announced the launch of its in-store display network in partnership with digital signage company Stratacache. The network, which will launch in two regions this summer, will feature large displays in key areas of the store, like the produce department and store entrances. The screens will run ads and promotional offers for companies. The network also offers connected TV and social video integrations for suppliers, as well as measurement tools that show in-store performance over time. Instacart links with Pinterest on shoppable ads Users of the popular inspiration platform Pinterest will soon be able to click on shoppable ads that tie to Instacart's marketplace. A pinned cocktail recipe, for example, could connect shoppers with ingredients they need through the digital grocery provider. In the partnership's first phase, select brands advertising on Pinterest can also advertise to Instacart's first-party audience segments. A second phase will introduce closed-loop measurement that will connect the ads with product sales across Instacart's marketplace. Impulse find Sam's Club shares pizza delivery goof When Sam's Club was testing its newly launched pizza delivery, the club retailer accidentally delivered a rotisserie chicken, the chain's CFO recently shared. Luckily, the goof happened with a worker who was helping to test the pizza delivery, Todd Sears, senior vice president and CFO of Sam's Club, said at the Evercore Consumer & Retail Conference earlier this month. "He took a picture of it and sent it in like, 'This is a pretty good-looking pizza.' Thank goodness, it was an associate," Sears said at the event, based on a Seeking Alpha transcript, adding that the company "quickly got that corrected." Announced last month, the newly launched pizza delivery "has been incredible and has exceeded our expectations" and is now available at all of the club's locations, Sears said. The club's members can order four-meat, pepperoni or cheese 16-inch pizzas for delivery. Sam's Club also does rotisserie chicken delivery, Sears said - but not as an accidental substitute. Copyright 2025 Industry Dive. All rights reserved.
The Hill
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
SNAP work requirement carveouts for vets, homeless caught in crosshairs of Trump bill
Congress could soon put an end to work requirement exemptions for veterans, homeless individuals and youth that were in foster care who receive food assistance. While House Republicans preserved the exemptions to work requirements under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as part of their broader package to advance President Trump's tax cut and spending priorities, Senate Republicans omitted the key language in their version of the bill. The exemptions were initially negotiated as part of a bipartisan deal two years ago. The GOP-led Senate Agriculture Committee confirmed the provision's absence would mean the exemptions would no longer be retained for members of the three groups. The move has drawn little attention on both sides of the aisle so far, as other pieces of the Republicans' megabill take center stage, including significant changes to Medicaid and what some estimates have projected as a multitrillion-dollar tax package. Even multiple GOP members of the Senate committee that produced the text say they intend to press for more information about the potential change before the upper chamber votes on the bill. Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman (R-Ark.) said Wednesday that 'everybody ought to be treated the same' when asked about the matter. A Senate Republican aide also noted that individuals who aren't 'able-bodied' wouldn't 'have to meet those requirements' under the Senate plan. Congress had previously agreed to temporary changes to work requirements for SNAP in 2023 as part of a bipartisan deal to cap annual federal spending and raise the nation's debt limit. That included measures carving out exemptions through September 2030 for individuals experiencing homelessness, veterans, and young adults who were in foster care at the age of 18. In a statement on the matter last Friday, the Senate committee said Republicans are working 'to encourage greater independence through work and training opportunities.' However, it noted its plan would still allow for 'individuals who are physically or mentally unfit for employment are not required to meet the 20 hours per week work requirement whether in those groups or not.' The decision comes as Republicans in both chambers are working to root out 'waste, fraud and abuse' in what some have described as a 'bloated' government program that has seen its spending climb over the years. Other notable changes Republicans are seeking to make to SNAP include requiring states to cover some of the cost of benefits and front a greater share of administrative costs for the program, as well as limiting the federal government's ability to increase monthly benefits in the future. The Senate Agriculture Committee estimates its plan will yield 'an approximate net savings of $144 billion' in the coming years, with Republicans' proposal requiring states to cover some SNAP benefits costs estimated to account for a significant portion of the projected spending reductions. The plan is part of a larger pursuit by the party to find measures to reduce federal spending by more than a $1 trillion over the next decade that can ride alongside an extension of Trump's 2017 tax cuts and other tax priorities. Democrats have come out in staunch opposition to the evolving proposal that is being exclusively crafted between House and Senate Republicans. 'The Republican bill takes food away from vulnerable veterans, homeless people and young adults who are aging out of the foster care system and may not know where their next meal is coming from,' Rep. Angie Craig (Minn.), top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, said in a statement on Wednesday. 'Republicans want to make these cuts to food assistance to fund new tax breaks for people who are already wealthy and large corporations,' she added. Some experts are also sounding the alarm. 'It is a huge deal. These groups were carved out for a reason. They are vulnerable for a reason,' Kyle Ross, a policy analyst for Inclusive Economy at the left-leaning Center for American Progress, said, adding the exemptions apply to 'different populations with their own special set of circumstances.' 'There are an estimated 1.2 million veterans receiving SNAP, and veterans are more likely to live in a food insecure household than nonveterans, so they're really more likely to be in need of some food assistance,' he said, while also pointing to barriers homeless individuals and those aging out of foster care face in the job market. But others have argued against the need for the special carveouts. Angela Rachidi, senior fellow at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute (AEI), described the 2023 spending caps deal as 'a political compromise,' noting that Republicans had also secured increases to the age threshold for SNAP as part of the deal under the Biden administration. Some hardline conservatives had also been critical of the deal at the time, while pointing to SNAP's exemptions. 'Many states would exempt people anyway because of mental health issues and you don't always necessarily have to have a doctor's note for it,' she said, while also arguing there wasn't 'anything unique about those populations that make them not capable of work.' She added that doing away with the carveouts could help lessen states' burden by removing 'another level of screening.' 'They don't have to assess somebody for their veteran status or foster status, and they would assess them anyway for their shelter status,' she said, while suggesting from a 'bureaucratic perspective, it actually might make it easier.' At the same time, Lauren Bauer, a fellow in Economic Studies at the Brookings Institution, pointed to the added strain states could face if other proposals from Republicans to increase states' cost share of the program's benefits and administrative cost also take effect. 'What the bill also does is, on both sides, you know, reduces the support that the federal government gives to states to administer the program and identifying and validating exemptions, the health exemptions, etc. is very expensive,' Bauer said. 'And administering work requirements is also very, very expensive, because it is onerous not only on the SNAP participant, it's onerous on the state who is managing the program,' she added.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Senate GOP aims to pare back proposed food stamp work requirements for parents in Trump megabill
The Senate Agriculture Committee is proposing some notable changes to the controversial food stamp provisions in the House-approved version of Republicans' megabill. The committee, which unveiled its proposal on Wednesday, would dial back the introduction of work requirements for parents of dependent children in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, the formal name for food stamps. The Senate version would mandate that parents of children ages 10 and older work to maintain their benefits, while the House package would impose that requirement on parents of children ages 7 and older. Currently, parents of dependent children are exempt from the program's work mandate. (A summary released by the committee said that the work requirement would apply to parents of children over age 10, which conflicts with the text of the proposal. A committee spokeswoman confirmed to CNN that the provision would apply to parents of 10-year-olds and older children.) The Senate committee also drops the exemptions for veterans, people experiencing homelessness and young adults who have aged out of foster care, according to Katie Bergh, a senior policy analyst at the left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy House version includes the exemptions but ends them in 2030. Like the House version, the Senate would expand the food stamp program's existing work requirements to able-bodied adults ages 55 through 64 and would curtail states' ability to receive work requirement waivers in difficult economic times, limiting them only to areas with unemployment rates above 10%. Both versions would also bar refugees, those granted asylum and certain survivors of domestic violence or labor or sex trafficking, among other immigrants with legal status, from receiving food stamps. Currently, adults ages 18 to 54 without dependent children can only receive food stamps for three months over a 36-month period unless they work 20 hours a week or are eligible for an exemption. The Senate measure aims at 'helping recipients transition to self-sufficiency through work and training. It's about being good stewards of taxpayer dollars while giving folks the tools to succeed,' Arkansas Sen. John Boozman, the committee's chair, said in a statement. But advocates lashed out at the Senate plan, saying it would worsen hunger in the US. Some 42 million people receive food stamps. 'The proposal would also take food assistance away from millions of parents and grandparents who are working but get tangled in red tape, have a health condition but fall through the cracks and don't get an exemption, or are between jobs and need temporary help,' Ty Jones Cox, vice president for food assistance at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, said in a statement. Senators in multiple committees are currently negotiating pieces of the House's sweeping tax and spending cuts bill, which aims to fulfill President Donald Trump's agenda. The House, which passed the package last month, would enact the deepest cuts to food stamps in the program's history – reducing federal spending by nearly $300 billion, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The work requirement provision would result in 3.2 million fewer people receiving benefits in an average month between 2025 and 2034, according to a preliminary CBO estimate of the House bill. That includes 800,000 adults who live with dependent children. Both the Senate and House versions would require that states start covering part of the cost of food stamp benefits for the first time, though the Senate committee is calling for a smaller share. States' tab would depend on their payment error rate in the program. In the Senate version, states with error rates below 6% would not have to contribute to the cost of benefits. The amount would then ratchet up in stages, with states that have error rates of 10% or more paying a 15% share. The House version would require all states to shoulder at least 5% of the cost and as much as 25% for those with error rates of at least 10%. Both versions would increase states' share of the program's administrative costs to 75%, from 50%. Advocates and state officials have warned that asking states to pick up more of the costs would have dire consequences. 'Shifting the financial burden of SNAP onto states is fiscally unsustainable and risks harming the very individuals and families the program is designed to support,' Tim Storey, CEO of the National Conference of State Legislatures, wrote to House Agriculture Committee leaders last month. State agencies are 'already underfunded and understaffed,' said Crystal FitzSimons, president of the Food Research & Action Center, in a statement Wednesday. Shifting more of the cost to states would leave 'strained state budgets unable to absorb the added burden without raising taxes, cutting programs, or reducing access.' How states would respond to having to pay for a share of the food stamp benefits would vary, but some 'would modify benefits or eligibility and possibly leave the program altogether because of the increased costs,' according to a preliminary CBO analysis of the House bill. The provision would lead states to reduce or eliminate food stamp benefits for about 1.3 million people in an average month over the decade, CBO estimates.
E&E News
12-06-2025
- Business
- E&E News
Senate Agriculture cuts billions for climate in megabill
The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee's piece of the Republican megabill would steer billions of dollars away from climate-related programs that shaped much of farm policy during the Biden administration. Legislative text released Wednesday would draw as much as $16 billion away from the Inflation Reduction Act's conservation provisions and redirect those unobligated funds toward long-standing programs, shedding the IRA's focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions through farmland conservation. Chair John Boozman (R-Ark.) said the measure — which will be wrapped into Republican's big tax cut and spending bill being considered through budget reconciliation — would cut waste and update farm programs that were last revised in the 2018 farm bill. Advertisement 'Our farmers and ranchers are facing real challenges, which have been unaddressed for too long,' Boozman said in a news release. 'This legislation delivers the risk management tools and updated farm bill safety net they need to keep producing the safest, most abundant and affordable food, fuel, and fiber in the world.'
