Tucked inside the hotly debated Farm Bill is a work requirement proposal for those receiving food assistance, Newsradio 1200 WOAI reports.
"I think it make complete since to have abled-bodies adults to either work or train for work," U.S. Senator John Cornyn says.
Under the proposal, which will be debated in a conference committee, non-disabled people between the ages of 18 and 59 who receive assistance as part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program without kids under age six must work or participate in employment training programs 20 hours per week.
Cornyn (R-TX) says there will be help."Obviously we are going to have to provide the resources for people to be able to train for work," he says.
He says recipients gaming the system take funds away from those who truly need them and this amendment will safeguard taxpayer dollars.
Texas already has some work requirements for the SNAP program. People between the ages of 16 and 59 years old must either work at least 30 hours a week or participate in SNAP Employment and Training.Eric Cooper, who heads San Antonio's Food Bank, is weary of any expansion. He says we should make food assistance easier, not more difficult.
"The overall expense goes up. The bureaucracy goes up, and the benefit to the client goes down."The SNAP program help 42 million Americans across the country annually.