WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has approved a significant and permanent increase in the levels of food stamp assistance available to needy families—the largest single increase in the program’s history.
Starting in October, average benefits for food stamps (officially known as the SNAP program) will rise more than 25 percent above pre-pandemic levels. The increased assistance will be available indefinitely to all 42 million SNAP beneficiaries.
The aid boost was first reported by The New York Times and the details were confirmed by a spokeswoman for the Department of Agriculture. They will be formally announced Monday by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
The aid boost is being packaged as a major revision of the USDA’s Thrifty Food Plan. In concrete terms, the average monthly per-person benefits will rise from $121 to $157.
The increase is part of a multi-pronged Biden administration effort to strengthen the country’s social safety net. Poverty and food security activists maintain that longstanding inadequacies in that safety net were laid bare by the COVID-19 pandemic, presenting an opportunity to make generational improvements that reach beyond the current public health crisis.
Activists say the previous levels of pre-pandemic SNAP assistance simply weren’t enough, forcing many households to choose cheaper, less nutritious options or simply go hungry as the funds ran low toward the end of the month.
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When you are productive and can support yourself, you don’t need food stamps. But if you ARE productive, you have to pay the taxes that finance the unproductive mopes. Then again, the unproductive mopes who take those food stamps are likely to vote for the politicians who are paying them not to work.
For years, i’ve longed to see the GOP GROW A pair, and END all these bloody welfare programs, ESPECIALLY EBT!
Joe Biden and his welfare state is synonymous with Venezuela. The government is here to help you, you no longer have to work, because the government will provide for you. We are the government, you no longer have to be motivated to work, because we will “hand out” to you, everything you need. We are Joe Biden and Venezuela.
I lived and WORKED, on the island of Aruba for a decade. It’s a country of Social Democrats, not Democratic Socialists. The government does not own the means of production. However, I used to pose this question to some of the locals who were workers: What would happen to the people if all the casinos and the oil company went bankrupt and were completely out of business?
The answer was invariably, “The government will take care of us.”
“But there is no money coming in to take care of you with.”
“I don’t care. The government will take care of us.”
Aruba is a Dutch possession and this is what was going on in their minds: At the time, Aruba was running an annual deficit of AFL 50 million a year. That’s $28 million US$. It doesn’t sound like much in the USA, but Aruba Had a small economy. The money would come from the Netherlands. The Netherlands were like the parents of Aruba, to Aruban’s. It is a very nice modern island. Definitely not a third-world country. The Aruban’s have everything that modern societies have.
That is socialist thinking for you. The average Aruban did not think beyond the government and did not really have much of a work ethic.
That is inevitably the answer ALL THESE demented fools come up with..
This illegitimate “administration” is spending the taxpayers money like irresponsible children would! It’s not real money…. just unlimited taxpayer money, wheeee! Let’s have fun, let’s pretend that we’re adults and know what we’re doing! Here, have some more free taxpayer dollars. Why work when you can stay home and play with free tax dollars?!?! Fools and blind!
Socialism works, TIL YOU run out of other people’s money!
I understand Social Security is next in line for a 25% increase.
That will be the day..
The Chinese create viruses, we create parasites. Good luck USA.
Nicely put.