House Democrat says ‘really unfortunate’ Biden allowed changes to food stamps in debt limit deal

Progressive Caucus Chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal aired her grievances Sunday over the agreement reached between House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and the White House, saying she was disappointed President Biden allowed changes to government benefits like food stamps.

The bipartisan deal, which lawmakers need to pass next week to avert default on the national debt, includes stricter work requirements for certain adults to receive food stamps through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program known as SNAP.

“Terrible policy, absolutely terrible policy, does not reduce spending. Actually, by some estimates, creates a burden on administrative spending that is actually worse for the overall cost of a program like that,” Ms. Jayapal, Washington Democrat, said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “The average amount of assistance for SNAP, for example, is $6 a day. We’re talking about $6 a day, and I think it is really unfortunate that the president opened the door to this.”

The debt-ceiling negotiation raises the work requirement age for childless able-bodied adults from 49 to 54 and exempts veterans or those who are homeless. The changes would last until 2030.

Work requirements are also expanded for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.

Ms. Jayapal said she was unsure whether she will be able to support the legislation, which includes a range of spending cuts demanded by Republicans. Her frustration was reminiscent of the broader dissatisfaction within her Progressive Caucus over the concessions that the White House made on a host of issues, particularly the work requirements that many Democrats considered a red line.

“We are one of the only countries in the world, if not the only country in the world, that is an industrialized country that puts any requirements on people who just want food,” Ms. Jayapal said. “We have seen reams of data that show that when you put these work requirements in, they’re really just administrative red tape that prevent the people who need help from getting help.”