USDA Proposes Rule Ending Automatic SNAP Eligibility Tied to TANF
The Trump administration proposed a rule change Tuesday that would end automatic food stamp eligibility for families who receive certain temporary emergency benefits through TANF, a change federal officials describe as a technical fix to protect SNAP for those most in need. The proposal would eliminate benefits for an estimated 6.3 million people nationally, including about 73,000 in New Jersey, where 17% of participating households could lose coverage. The rule would also end automatic free school lunch qualification for 1.8 million children, cut tens of thousands from a summer meals program, and disqualify at least 5,500 women from nutrition benefits for newborns. USDA estimates the change would cut spending by $44.6 billion over five years; advocates including the Community Food Bank of New Jersey and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin criticized the proposal as designed to push people off assistance.