Rep. Faso soft-pedals harm of food assistance changes

Dear Editor, I am concerned about the effects of the changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamp program) contained in the 2018 Agriculture and Nutrition Act (2018 Farm Bill), recently approved by the Agriculture Committee of the House of Representatives with the enthusiastic support of U.S. Rep. John Faso, R-Kinderhook.

Although Faso touts increased self-sufficiency as a benefit of harsher work requirements, and projects a decrease in fraud and abuse, he overlooks the serious repercussions for food-insecure individuals and families.

As noted by the Food Research & Action Center, the proposed changes remove states’ current ability to adjust assets tests so that income levels are determined after expenses for basic expenses like shelter and childcare. It is projected that without this flexibility, not only will states’ administrative costs increase, but low-income working people with children will lose nutrition benefits, including their children’s direct access to free school meals.

The proposed changes would also eliminate the current exemption from work requirements for college-student parents of young children without access to adequate childcare.

So, while Rep. Faso would have his constituents believe that a goal of the Farm Bill’s tightened nutrition assistance requirements is to help food-insecure New Yorkers achieve independence, it seems that the impact of some of the proposed changes will have the opposite effect and will do tremendous harm to low-income people, including the working poor and their children. Amy Rothstein Pine Plains, N.Y.