© 2024 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WECS · WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM · WVOF
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Loophole Or Workaround? (Food Stamp Edition)

Spencer Platt
/
Getty Images

In the debate over whether to cut the food stamp program, members of Congress are looking at two pretty arcane provisions in the law. People who want to cut food stamps call the provisions loopholes. People who don't want to cut food stamps say they're efficient ways to get benefits to those who need them most.

1. Categorical Eligibility

People who qualify for one means-tested program — like welfare — can automatically qualify for other programs — like food stamps. This is called "categorical eligibility."

Jessica Shahin, who oversees the food stamp program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, says this saves states time and money, because they don't have to sign people up twice. "It simplifies the process for states," she says.

And besides, says Shahin, people still have to have a very low income — below the poverty line — to actually get the food stamps. (The food stamp program, by the way, is now formally called SNAP.)

But Republicans point out that categorical eligibility has allowed states to waive a $2,000 asset limit for food stamps recipients. So someone could have, say, $20,000 in the bank and still get food stamps. They argue that this allows people who don't need benefits to get them.

Deborah Carroll, who administers food stamps for 130,000 residents in the District of Columbia, say that's very rare — and it would be prohibitively expensive to verify recipients' assets.

"If we had to do that for everyone, it would cost us two, three, four million dollars more to administer that program for a fraction of the population that may have assets out there that we don't necessarily know about," she says.

2. Heat And Eat

Low income families who get help paying their utility bills through the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) can automatically qualify for higher food stamp benefits. States have figured out if they give someone just $1 in LIHEAP payments, that person can receive more food stamps — paid for with federal dollars.

"It may be a loophole, but I think it's one that benefits families," says Carroll.

Lawmakers in both parties want to make this harder for states to do. They say it will save billions of dollars in federal funds.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Pam Fessler is a correspondent on NPR's National Desk, where she covers poverty, philanthropy, and voting issues.

Stand up for civility

This news story is funded in large part by Connecticut Public’s Members — listeners, viewers, and readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

We hope their support inspires you to donate so that we can continue telling stories that inform, educate, and inspire you and your neighbors. As a community-supported public media service, Connecticut Public has relied on donor support for more than 50 years.

Your donation today will allow us to continue this work on your behalf. Give today at any amount and join the 50,000 members who are building a better—and more civil—Connecticut to live, work, and play.

Related Content