Food stamp payments for millions of Americans will be permanently increased by a record amount later this year.
Biden Administration to Announce the Increase of Food Stamp
In a recently published article in Yahoo News, the Biden administration intends to announce the largest long-term boost in food stamp benefits in the program's history, providing Americans more money to spend on groceries but costing the government billions of dollars.
Benefits for the 42 million individuals in the program would increase by more than 25% in October compared to pre-pandemic levels, according to a U.S. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity ahead of a Monday announcement. According to the official, average monthly payments would increase by $36 per person, up from $121.
The government subsidy, according to anti-hunger activists, is insufficient. By updating the list of items used to determine the cost of a healthy diet, the Agriculture Department is boosting payments. The modification does not need congressional approval, according to a published article in Bloomberg.
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Basis of the Increase of Food Stamp
The move will affect more than 42 million individuals who get these benefits, known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program does not need congressional approval, according to a recently published report in The Hill.
Additionally, the shift is the result of changes made by the Department of Agriculture to the Thrifty Food Plan, which defines Americans' nutritional objectives. The framework specifies how much each household should spend on various food categories in order to eat a balanced diet.
In a published report in The New York Times, amid a pandemic that has resulted in many people losing their employment, President Joe Biden has been working to expand government aid to low- and middle-income Americans. Republicans have said that Biden's economic strategy fuels inflation and discourages people from working.
$835 Monthy Food Stamp
Activists say that the existing $22-per-day food budget established by the USDA for a family of four is grossly insufficient and based on outmoded, unrealistic assumptions. For example, the market basket implies that a household consumes more than five pounds of beans each week.
According to the USDA official, the Biden review permitted assistance users to consume 7 percent extra calories due to weight increase in the US population and new activity guidelines. It also adheres to the most recent government nutritional guidelines, including the addition of red and orange vegetables as well as more seafood, such as canned tuna.
The time it takes to prepare meals was also taken into account in the assessment. As a result, beneficiaries are expected to consume canned goods rather than dry beans, as well as other convenience items like bagged lettuce. Even before the update's findings were released, congressional Republicans expressed their doubts.
The senior Republicans on the Senate and House Agriculture Committees, which oversee the program, requested a General Accountability Office probe into how the Biden administration performed the assessment in advance. Benefits for food stamps are determined on a sliding scale depending on family income and the number and age of individuals living there.
Furthermore, the new maximum compensation for a family of four will be $835 per month, an increase of 21 percent above pre-pandemic levels. Adjusted for inflation, the average benefit will increase by 27 percent. Food stamp recipients are required to spend 30 percent of their net income on food, with food stamps covering the USDA's food budget shortfall.
