US President Donald Trump‘s recently introduced “Big Beautiful Bill” proposes significant cuts to federal spending on one of the largest food aid programs — the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for low-income groups.The proposed changes to the food aid program would require states to cover more of the costs, make several million more recipients work to keep receiving benefits and could reduce the amount of food assistance provided in the future.Earlier, the Republican-led House passed the much-debated legislation known as the “Big Beautiful Bill” to advance President Trump’s policy agenda. He wants it finalized and sent to him by July 4,on the 249th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
What changes are proposed in SNAP?
The federal food aid program, formerly known as food stamps, was renamed the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) on October 1, 2008. It provides monthly payments for purchasing food to low-income residents who earn less than $1,632 per month for individuals or $3,380 for a household of four.As of February, over 42 million people across the country were receiving SNAP benefits — roughly one out of every eight people in the US. This is a decrease from the peak average of 47.6 million participants during the 2013 federal fiscal year.Often, more than one person in a household is eligible for food aid. As of February, nearly 22.5 million households were enrolled in SNAP, receiving an average monthly benefit of $353 per household.According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the legislation passed by the US House could reduce federal SNAP spending by about $295 billion over the next 10 years. The bill would also eliminate SNAP benefits for around 120,000 and 250,000 immigrants who are legally in the US but are not citizens or permanent residents.Currently, adults aged 18–54 who are able to work and have no dependents must work, volunteer or participate in job training for at least 80 hours a month to continue receiving SNAP benefits. If they fail to meet this requirement, they are limited to three months of benefits within a three-year period.The new bill would extend these work requirements to people aged 55–64. It would also apply to some parents without children under the age of 7. The CBO estimates that these changes could reduce SNAP participation by about 3.2 million people per month.Currently, the federal government pays for all SNAP food benefits and shares the administrative costs with states. Under the proposed bill, states would have to cover 75% of administrative costs and begin paying a share of food benefits by 2028.The House passed the bill by a narrow margin of just one vote (215–214). While Republicans hold 53 of the 100 seats in the Senate, no Democrats supported the bill in the House, and they are unlikely to do so in the Senate.Some Republican senators have also raised concerns about the bill, especially regarding potential cuts to food aid and medical coverage. They fear an increase in the federal deficit. To secure support, Senate leaders may need to revise parts of the bill.