Changes to food aid in debt bill would cost money, far from savings GOP envisioned

By MARY CLARE JALONICK
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Republican attempt to expand work requirements for federal food aid in debt legislation moving through Congress would increase federal spending by $2.1 billion over 10 years. That’s far from the cuts GOP lawmakers had envisioned. A compromise on the food aid requirements between House Republicans and President Joe Biden as the nation nears a disastrous government default appears to have backfired for GOP lawmakers, who won the new work requirements in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for some able-bodied recipients in exchange for dropping work requirements for some more vulnerable recipients such as veterans and homeless people.