(AURN News) — A major shift is underway for Americans who depend on food stamps. Under President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, new rules took effect Monday that could reshape how millions qualify for assistance.
The law, passed in July, sets a new requirement: “able-bodied adults” must now work at least 20 hours a week to remain eligible for SNAP, the federal food assistance program.
SNAP serves close to 42 million people, and its impact is especially wide among Black families. Black children are more likely than their peers to live in households that receive food assistance, Census data shows. According to the USDA, a large share of SNAP households include someone who is elderly, disabled or under 18. These families account for the vast majority of recipients and benefits paid out.
The cuts are historic. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates the law will reduce SNAP funding by $187 billion through 2034 — the largest reduction in the program’s history. Analysts at the center project that 4 million people — including children, veterans and seniors — will see their benefits cut or eliminated.
“Not only does it slash funding for essential programs like Medicaid, SNAP, and tax credits for the middle and working class, it deepens the nation’s debt by over $3 trillion — all to make billionaires wealthier,” said NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson back in July following the bill’s passage.
The majority of adult SNAP recipients are women, and many households also rely on Social Security to get by. States with the largest SNAP caseloads include California, Florida, Texas, New York and Illinois.
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