Fact Check: New paperwork hurdles could deny food assistance to 3 million Americans.

Fact Check: "New paperwork hurdles could deny food assistance to 3 million Americans."

What We Know

Recent legislative proposals have raised concerns about the potential impact on food assistance programs in the United States, particularly the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). According to a report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), the House Republican reconciliation bill aims to cut SNAP benefits significantly, estimating a reduction of nearly $300 billion through 2034. This bill would also impose stricter work requirements, which could lead to the denial of food assistance for approximately 3.2 million adults, including many parents of school-aged children. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has projected that these changes could result in food assistance being cut for about 1.3 million people, including children, in an average month due to the proposed cost shifts to states (CBPP).

Analysis

The claim that "new paperwork hurdles could deny food assistance to 3 million Americans" is substantiated by the proposed changes in the House Republican bill. The bill not only aims to cut funding for SNAP but also introduces stricter eligibility requirements that would affect many families. The CBPP's analysis indicates that the expansion of work requirements would particularly impact parents of children over the age of six, potentially cutting off food assistance for their households (CBPP).

Moreover, the CBO estimates that these changes could lead to a substantial reduction in food benefits, with around 1 million children facing significant cuts in their food assistance. This aligns with the claim that new bureaucratic hurdles—specifically, the stricter work requirements and funding shifts to states—could effectively deny assistance to millions (CBPP).

The reliability of the CBPP as a source is strong, as it is a non-profit organization focused on analyzing federal budget policies and their impacts on low- and moderate-income families. Their assessments are often based on data from the CBO and other reputable sources, making their findings credible in this context.

Conclusion

Verdict: True. The claim that new paperwork hurdles could deny food assistance to 3 million Americans is supported by credible analyses of proposed legislative changes that would significantly alter SNAP eligibility and funding. The anticipated impacts, as outlined by the CBPP and CBO, suggest that millions could indeed lose access to necessary food assistance due to these new requirements.

Fact Check: New paperwork hurdles could deny food assistance to 3 million Americans.