News Opinons Politics

Ocasio-Cortez: Family ‘Might’ve Just Starved’ Under Trump Food Stamp Work Requirements

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) on Thursday claimed that her family “might’ve just starved” had the Trump administration’s revamped food stamp work requirements taken effect years ago.

Ocasio-Cortez on Thursday reacted to the formalization of the Trump administration’s food stamp work requirements, which will take effect April 1 of next year.

“We’re taking action to reform our SNAP program in order to restore the dignity of work to a sizable segment of our population and be respectful of the taxpayers who fund the program,” Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said, according to NBC News.


Perdue added, echoing the words of Ronald Reagan:

Americans are generous people who believe it is their responsibility to help their fellow citizens when they encounter a difficult stretch. That’s the commitment behind SNAP, but, like other welfare programs, it was never intended to be a way of life.

Ocasio-Cortez took issue with the requirements and claimed that her family “might’ve just starved,” had they been in effect years ago.


WATCH: CENTCOM chief unloads after Dem asks ‘how many more Americans’ must die in Iran war
Breaking: Trump Makes Endorsement in Heated Texas Senate Primary
JD Vance says Trump is ‘locked and loaded’ to restart military campaign against Iran if nuclear talks fail
Police search for pink costumed suspect in Virginia
Media Pushes New Pandemic – CBS News Rolls Out Fear Campaign Over Ebola Outbreak with ‘No Vaccine, No Treatment’
Jeanine Pirro Threatens Parents After Wild Teens Create Disturbing Scene in D.C. Restaurant
Pelosi intervenes in Democratic race to succeed her
Michigan Senate hopeful courting progressives entertains Iron Dome for Palestinians
Mosque Targeted in Shooting Had Shocking Ties to 9/11, and Imam Supported October 7 Massacre of Jewish Civilians
Civil liberty advocates sue blue state over ‘show your papers’ gun law
Retired Austin cop tears into leftist city council for stripping police of key tools before shooting rampage
Trump Says He Canceled 11th-Hour Iran Bombing at Request of Saudi Leaders Amid New Peace Talks
Supreme Court Bluntly Swats Down Virginia Dems’ Power Grab
DHS, War Dept join probe into Singham network allegedly sowing discord in US
New York’s ‘wrong-headed’ defendant-friendly laws helped toss Mangione evidence: retired cop

See also  Sean Spicer-linked group makes case for Trump to seniors before midterm elections

“My family relied on food stamps (EBT) when my dad died at 48. I was a student. If this happened then, we might’ve just starved,” she wrote on Twitter.

“Now, many people will,” she added, accusing the GOP of working “overtime to create freebies for the rich while dissolving lifelines of those who need it most”:


WATCH: CENTCOM chief unloads after Dem asks ‘how many more Americans’ must die in Iran war
Breaking: Trump Makes Endorsement in Heated Texas Senate Primary
JD Vance says Trump is ‘locked and loaded’ to restart military campaign against Iran if nuclear talks fail
Police search for pink costumed suspect in Virginia
Media Pushes New Pandemic – CBS News Rolls Out Fear Campaign Over Ebola Outbreak with ‘No Vaccine, No Treatment’
Jeanine Pirro Threatens Parents After Wild Teens Create Disturbing Scene in D.C. Restaurant
Pelosi intervenes in Democratic race to succeed her
Michigan Senate hopeful courting progressives entertains Iron Dome for Palestinians
Mosque Targeted in Shooting Had Shocking Ties to 9/11, and Imam Supported October 7 Massacre of Jewish Civilians
Civil liberty advocates sue blue state over ‘show your papers’ gun law
Retired Austin cop tears into leftist city council for stripping police of key tools before shooting rampage
Trump Says He Canceled 11th-Hour Iran Bombing at Request of Saudi Leaders Amid New Peace Talks
Supreme Court Bluntly Swats Down Virginia Dems’ Power Grab
DHS, War Dept join probe into Singham network allegedly sowing discord in US
New York’s ‘wrong-headed’ defendant-friendly laws helped toss Mangione evidence: retired cop

The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, responded to the freshman lawmaker’s tweet, noting that the work requirements will only apply to able-bodied adults between the ages of 18 and 49 who do not have dependents:

See also  Trump and Cabinet officials welcomed by Xi at China’s Great Hall of the People

She rebuked the think tank’s point, vaguely asserting that the rule “ignores the reality of American life” and implied that those who disagree with her position have not “dealt with the actual lived experience”:


WATCH: CENTCOM chief unloads after Dem asks ‘how many more Americans’ must die in Iran war
Breaking: Trump Makes Endorsement in Heated Texas Senate Primary
JD Vance says Trump is ‘locked and loaded’ to restart military campaign against Iran if nuclear talks fail
Police search for pink costumed suspect in Virginia
Media Pushes New Pandemic – CBS News Rolls Out Fear Campaign Over Ebola Outbreak with ‘No Vaccine, No Treatment’
Jeanine Pirro Threatens Parents After Wild Teens Create Disturbing Scene in D.C. Restaurant
Pelosi intervenes in Democratic race to succeed her
Michigan Senate hopeful courting progressives entertains Iron Dome for Palestinians
Mosque Targeted in Shooting Had Shocking Ties to 9/11, and Imam Supported October 7 Massacre of Jewish Civilians
Civil liberty advocates sue blue state over ‘show your papers’ gun law
Retired Austin cop tears into leftist city council for stripping police of key tools before shooting rampage
Trump Says He Canceled 11th-Hour Iran Bombing at Request of Saudi Leaders Amid New Peace Talks
Supreme Court Bluntly Swats Down Virginia Dems’ Power Grab
DHS, War Dept join probe into Singham network allegedly sowing discord in US
New York’s ‘wrong-headed’ defendant-friendly laws helped toss Mangione evidence: retired cop

The current rules require childless, able-bodied adults on the program to “work at least 20 hours a week for more than three months over a 36-month period to qualify for food stamps, but states have been able to create waivers for areas that face high unemployment,” according to NBC News.

See also  Faith and government leaders celebrate US as ‘One Nation Under God’ at Rededicate 250

The new rule will add restrictions to those waivers, only allowing them if the unemployment rate in the area is over six percent.

The USDA estimates that 688,000 will lose access to food stamps under the new rule, and it will save taxpayers $5.5 billion over the next five years.

The news coincides with Friday’s jobs report, which indicated that the U.S. economy added 266,000 jobs for the month. The unemployment rate fell to 3.5 percent, “match

ing the lowest level in 50 years,” as Breitbart News reported.

Story cited here.

Share this article:
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter