MAY CUT FOOD STAMP BENEFITS FOR
MILLIONS OF AMERICANS, INCLUDING
MANY
FAMILIES IN GEORGIA AND SOUTH
CAROLINA.
NEWS THREE'S MARTIN STAUNTON IS
JOINING US WITH WHAT YOU NEED TO
KNOW.
SUPPORTERS SAY THE PROPOSAL
COULD SAVE THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT MORE THAN $9 BILLION
OVER FIVE YEARS, BUT CRITICS
WARN THE NEW RULE, IF ADOPTED,
WOULD ACTUALLY PUSH THE MOST
VULNERABLE
PEOPLE DEEPER INTO FOOD
INSECURITY-- FORCING THEM TO
MAKE CHOICES
BETWEEN MEDICINE AND THEIR NEXT
MEAL.
THE PROPOSED RULE CHANGE WILL
CUT FOOD STAMP BENEFITS TO
PEOPLE WITH AT LEAST TWO
THOUSAND DOLLARS IN THE BANK.
SUPPORTERS SAY IT CLOSES A
LOOPHOLE THAT ALLOWS SOME
AFFLUENT PEOPLE TO
QUALIFY. WE SPOKE WITH A
CONSERVATIVE THINK TANK IN
WASHINGTON IN FAVOR OF THE MOVE.
ROBERT RECTOR/HERITAGE
FOUNDATION: "THIS LOOPHOLE IN
THE
LAW BASICALLY CIRCUMVENTS THAT
AND ALLOWS A LOT OF HIGHER
INCOME
PEOPLE INTO THE PROGRAM. THAT'S
A WASTE OF MONEY AND IN THE
LONG-
TERM IT TAKES MONEY AWAY FROM
THE POOR."
CRITICS SAY IT WILL HURT THE
ELDERLY - WHO MAY HAVE RAINY-DAY
FUNDS TO
COVER UNEXPECTED EXPENSES -
OFTEN TIMES RELATED TO MEDICAL
CONDITIONS. ELAINE WAXMAN WORKS
IN THE NATIONS CAPITOL
WITH THE LIBERAL THINK TANK
URBAN INSTITUTE.
ELAINE WAXMAN/URBAN INSTITUTE
SENIOR FELLOW: ""WHAT I'M
WORRIED ABOUT IS THAT PEOPLE WHO
ARE SITTING RIGHT ION THE
MARGINS OF
ELIGIBILITY LEVELS COULD BE
LOSING BENEFITS." THE PROPOSED
RULE CHANGE TO THE SNAP PROGRAM
ISN'T A DONE DEAL.
THERE'S A SIXTY-DAY PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD. RECTOR AND
WAXMAN SAY
SHARING YOUR THOUGHS WITH
POLICYAKERS IN WASHINGTON ON
THIS TOPIC CAN MAKE A
DIFFERENCE,
ROBERT RECTOR/HERITAGE
FOUNDATION: "I THINK IT'S VERY
IMPORTANT. THE THING THAT
HAPPENS IN WASGINGTON IS THAT
THE SPECIAL
INTERESTS, THE GOVERNMENT
BUREAUCRATS, AND SO FORTH, WHO
BENEFIT FROM THIS, TEND TO
WEIGH-IN VERY HEAVILY. THE
TAXPAYERS WHO
HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS TYPE OF
CIORRUPTION GENERALLY ARE NOT
SPEAKING OUT,"
ELAINE WAXMAN/URBAN INSTITUTE
SENIOR FELLOW: "IF PEOPLE
ARE ABLE TO ACTUALLY CREATE A,
THEIR PERSONAL STATEMENT ABOUT
WHAT THIS WOULD MEAN FOR THEM,
YOU KNOW, THAT HAS TO CARRY A
LOT OF WEIGHT,"
THE SIXTY DAY PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD FOR THE FOOD STAMPS RULE
CHANGE STARTED TODAY.
THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS BE HEARD:
YOU CAN SEND COMMENTS THROUGH
THE MAIL, FAX, OR ONLINE.
YOU CAN FIND OUT HOW BY HEADING
TO OUR WEBSITE. GO TO
WSAV-DOT-COM-
SLASH SNAP-CHANGES.
MARTIN STAUNTON, WSAV, NEWS
THREE.
SOMEONE IS STEALING DOGS IN
SCREVEN COUNTY. THE SHERIFF'S
OFFICE WANTS TO PUT A STOP TO IT
