Politics
USDA Rule Would Strip SNAP from 6.3 Million, End Automatic School Meal Eligibility for 1.8 Million Children
The Trump administration's proposed rule would end broad-based categorical eligibility for SNAP, cutting benefits for 6.3 million people and free school meals for 1.8 million children while saving $44.6 billion over five years.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Monday proposed a rule that would eliminate automatic food stamp eligibility for 6.3 million people, nearly 18% of all SNAP recipients, by narrowing a policy known as broad-based categorical eligibility.
The change, published in the Federal Register, would limit automatic SNAP eligibility to households that receive cash assistance through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. Households that receive only noncash or nominal TANF services, such as child care assistance or workforce training, would no longer qualify for SNAP without meeting the program's standard income eligibility limits.
The USDA estimates the rule would save $44.6 billion between 2027 and 2031. It also projects that 1.8 million children would lose eligibility for free school lunches.
The proposal is the latest move by the administration to curb SNAP spending, with officials citing concerns about waste and fraud. The rule states the changes would standardize SNAP eligibility and "preserve benefits for the truly needy."
Broad-based categorical eligibility has allowed states to streamline enrollment by using TANF participation as a proxy for SNAP eligibility, extending benefits to working families whose incomes slightly exceed the standard threshold. Critics of the proposal argue that eliminating the policy would create a coverage gap for low-income households already struggling with rising food costs.
The public will have 30 days to comment on the proposed rule once it is officially published.