New USDA proposal moves to kicks millions from SNAP

A new proposal from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would kick millions of people from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by tightening eligibility requirements.

The proposal moves to raise the threshold families must meet to qualify for the government assistance program in order to “preserve benefits for the truly needy.”

According to the proposal , it would end “broad-based categorical eligibility” for SNAP, which allowed for families to qualify for the program if they qualified for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) without needing to show proof they met federal income thresholds.

Generally, TANF eligibility is 130 to 200 percent higher than the federal poverty level, while SNAP qualification is 130 percent.

The USDA estimated that approximately 17.6 percent of SNAP participants would lose their benefits – representing 3.2 million households or 6.3 million individuals – in the proposed rule’s first year in effect.

SNAP has historically provided low-income people and families with financial assistance to pay for groceries.

Outgoing Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.), ranking member on the House Agriculture Committee, said in a statement that the proposed rule was “heartless and cruel.”

“The proposed rule would make it harder to meet basic needs and roll back efforts to streamline federal programs,” Craig continued.

Her statement noted that the consequences of cutting SNAP eligibility would affect qualification for other government assistance programs – including Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children and Summer EBT.

Public comments on the rule are open until Dec. 10.

The Trump administration has previously pushed for cuts to SNAP through its “One Big Beautiful Bill” last year. The bill cut $180 billion from SNAP and added work requirements to be eligible for the program.

It also warned states to reduce error rates within the program to 6 percent or less by fiscal year 2028. The provision affected 41 states that are at risk of having parts of their SNAP funding cut, according to the latest USDA error rate data .

SNAP enrollment dropped more than expected over the past year as well as provisions in the bill started to take effect. Enrollment in the food aid program dropped by about 13 percent in one year.

USDA did not respond immediately to The Hill’s request for comment.