August 23, 2018, Darrel Thompson via CLASP
As the U.S. House and Senate reconcile two very different farm bills, formerly incarcerated people are at risk of losing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food assistance.
Representative George Holding (R-NC) filed a troubling amendment that was adopted in the House farm bill. It would impose a lifetime ban on SNAP for returning citizens convicted of certain violent felonies. The ban would apply regardless of when the crime was committed, sentence completion, and compliance with terms of release. The amendment would also impact the families of the formerly incarcerated. Despite being banned from SNAP, their income would still count toward household income when determining benefit levels. This could markedly reduce assistance for those who live with returning citizens, especially their children who are particularly vulnerable due to loss of financial support.
Photo from PCAcares.org