White River Junction

It is extremely disappointing that the Trump administration is proposing a rule change for SNAP benefits (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, often referred to by its previous name, food stamps) that will eliminate this vital benefit for more than 3.1 million people.

The stated goal is “closing a loophole” in the nation’s largest food assistance program to “people who don’t need it,” but the impact will be severe for those who are poor or near poor.

Many states, both “red” and “blue,” have used the existing provision to provide economic support quickly to families that are presumed eligible based on income and asset tests. This rule, called “categorical eligibility,” allows people who apply to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program to be automatically determined eligible for food stamps because they typically are very poor.

The USDA news release announcing the proposed rule change uses the story of a millionaire from Minnesota who successfully applied for food stamps as evidence of the need for this harsh new rule. But it’s hard to imagine that this error is going to lead to hordes of millionaires to follow suit.

In fact, U.S. Department of Agriculture data from 2017 found that little fraud exists in this program, with just 0.2 percent of SNAP benefits going to beneficiaries with net incomes (after housing, child care, etc.) above the poverty line. And those who were above this line usually just cleared it.

Categorical eligibility also lets states opt out of federal asset limits, which currently limit households without disabled or older people to $2,250 in savings, and ones with disabled or older members to $3,500. Otherwise, these very poor families would need to spend down these assets to become eligible for benefits.

The Trump administration’s proposed rule would also eliminate states’ ability to enroll recipients earning more than 130% of the federal poverty guidelines, removing millions of people from eligibility. Both New Hampshire and Vermont take advantage of this more generous eligibility rule. This means that the families most affected will be the working poor — those who are trying to find a path out of poverty but need a helping hand. The implications of this change are even more damaging in that it will also cause families to lose automatic eligibility for reduced-price school lunches.

This policy seems to be just a mean-spirited attempt to deny services to poor people. It will have little impact on the federal budget, but a huge impact on these individuals, including families with children.

The Upper Valley Haven in White River Junction provides assistance to thousands of people living in our community on both sides of the Connecticut River who experience food insecurity and are just trying to get by on very low incomes. While it is unfortunate, and even unjust, that anyone in this country should be hungry or food insecure, this is a role that the Haven takes on because it is needed.

The people, businesses, churches and social welfare groups that are our neighbors in the Upper Valley are generous in both materials and spirit toward those in need. They support the Haven with cash contributions, donations of food and thousands of volunteer hours. If this proposed rule goes forward, we can expect to see more families in need. We will serve them willingly and as generously as we can. But our job will be harder.

The Trump administration has routinely included cuts to the SNAP program in its budgets, which Congress has turned away. This proposal differs in that it is an administrative rule that can be changed without congressional approval. It is more than ironic that this rule would take effect in September — Hunger Action Month — when people around the country open their hearts and wallets to support community food shelves. Only a public outcry will prevent this new rule from being adopted.

I encourage you to let your members of Congress and the White House know you do not believe this change is in the interest of our community.

Michael Redmond is the executive director of the Upper Valley Haven. He can be reached at mredmond@uppervalleyhaven.org.