Don't Count on McCarthy's Spartan Work Mandates to Save Money
Making those on food stamps and Medicaid get a job to continue receiving those benefits is not only cruel, but would do almost nothing to lower government spending.
US Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy wants to cut government spending.
Photographer: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has vowed to pass legislation this week to increase the US’s borrowing capacity that includes expanding work requirements for recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps, and creating them for Medicaid.1 To receive benefits, adults ages 19 to 55 without disabilities or dependents would be required to work a minimum number of hours or be in a training program or do community service.
The stated goals are for beneficiaries to lift themselves out of poverty through work and to cut program costs and discretionary spending while easing labor shortages. The reality is that work requirements won’t achieve these goals and including them in the legislation could impede efforts to raise the so-called debt ceiling.