Modifications to the Supplemental Diet Help Program (SNAP) eligibility necessities occurred through the Trump administration. These modifications aimed to tighten work necessities and limit categorical eligibility, which beforehand allowed states to routinely enroll people receiving sure different types of public help. An instance of such a change concerned stricter enforcement of asset limits and limitations on the circumstances beneath which states may waive work necessities based mostly on native financial situations.
The purported rationale behind these coverage shifts centered on selling self-sufficiency and decreasing reliance on authorities support. Proponents argued that stricter eligibility standards would encourage able-bodied adults to hunt employment, thereby reducing long-term dependence on SNAP. Traditionally, debates surrounding SNAP eligibility have typically revolved round balancing this system’s function as a security internet with issues about potential disincentives to work. Welfare reform efforts previously have equally targeted on work necessities and cut-off dates.