Webster County, WV, 'Food Aid Curbs Sought By Republicans Would Hit Rural Poor' [View all]

"Food Aid Curbs Sought By Republicans Would Hit Rural Poor," Reuters, June 15, 2018.

WEBSTER COUNTY, W.Va. (Reuters) - Bruce Green’s family of six scratches out a living in this remote, politically conservative corner of the Appalachian Mountains thanks in part to about $600 a month in U.S. food aid. For the Greens and other rural Americans who get nutrition assistance, making ends meet could get tougher if Republicans in Washington, including President Donald Trump, carry out plans to make it harder to qualify for food aid.

“If I lose even $100 of that, it would be devastating,” said Green, 35, a registered independent voter who said he “leans conservative.” He earns $23,000 annually as a county appraiser. Green’s wife Barbara stays home with their four children.

A Republican plan to curb food aid is under consideration in the U.S. House of Representatives as part of a broad farm bill. Its future is uncertain, with Democrats opposed to it. A farm bill in the U.S. Senate proposes no major food aid changes. The House plan is an initial step in a welfare-cutting push by Republicans that could play out for years if the party keeps control of Congress in November’s midterm election. Should it become law, about 1.2 million fewer individuals would receive benefits monthly by 2028, nonpartisan congressional budget analysts estimated.

After approving tax cuts in December that are projected to add $1.9 trillion to the U.S. debt over a decade, Republicans, led by Trump, want to trim the social safety net. That includes the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps. SNAP helps feed more than 40 million Americans each month by supplying recipients with debit cards good only for food purchases. That is 12 percent of the total U.S. population. Republicans say an improving economy means fewer Americans need help from SNAP.

Republican support from low-income voters: President Donald Trump received support from greater proportions of both lower-income voters and less-educated voters than the two previous Republican presidential candidates, John McCain and Mitt Romney...con't..

Read More: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-congress-food-aid/food-aid-curbs-sought-by-republicans-would-hit-rural-poor-idUSKBN1JB13D

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webster_County,_West_Virginia