AMNA: THE PROGRAM SNAP FORMERLY KNOWN AS FOOD STAMPS IS ONE OF THE NATION'S LARGEST WELFARE SYSTEM HELPING TO FEED 40 MILLION HE LOW INCOME AMERICANS.

WHAT TA ASSISTANCE LOOKS LIKE VARIES GREATLY.

WE HAVE THIS REPORT, "AMERICA SAFETY NET."

>> FOR SINGLE MOTHER BETSY CRUZ, EVERY TRIP TO THE STORE IS A TIGHTROPE WALK.

>> EVIDENCE TO CALCULATE BECAUSE WHEN I GET TO THAT REGISTER, I DON'T NEED ANY SURPRISES BECAUSE IF IT COMES OVER THEN THE AMOUNT I HAVE, I HAVE TO ASK THEM TO PUT IT BACK.

>> THAT AMOUNT IS USUALLY $56 A MONTH, THE TOTAL BENEFIT SHE AND HER 21-YEAR-OLD SON RECEIVE FROM SNAP.

IS IT ENOUGH TO SUPPORT AND COVER YOUR FOOD COSTS?

>> NO, IT'S NOT.

YOU COME OUT WITH THREE OR FOUR BAGS AND THAT'S IT.

THAT'S IT FOR THE MONTH.

>> TO BRIDGE THE GAP, CRUZ GETS HELP FROM FOOD BANKS LIKE THIS ONE NEAR HER HOME IN GILBERT, SOUTH CAROLINA.

BUT SHE CAN'T RELY ON THIS HELP.

>> MOST OF THE STUFF YOU GET AT FOOD BANKS ARE STARCHY ITEMS AND MY SON IS A DIABETESIC, BUT WE HAVE TO USE IT.

>> THIS STRUGGLE IS NEW FOR CRUZ.

WORKED STEADY JOB AS A MEAT INSPECTOR FOR NEARLY THREE DECADES AND FORCED TO RETIRE EARLY AFTER HER SON STRUGGLES WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISBUILT.

>> IT'S I DON'T WANT TO WORK, IT'S I CAN'T.

>> YOU HAVE NO CHOICE?

>> I HAVE NO CHOICE.

I AM A MOTHER FIRST AND IT HAS BEEN 21 YEARS OF IT.

HE HAS TO COME FIRST.

>> THE CRUZ FAMILY IS NOT UNIQUE.

ABOUT 90% OF SNAP RECIPIENTS LIVE IN HOUSEHOLDS WITH OLDER ADULTS, CHILDREN OR WITH A DISABILITY.

A FAMILY TWO OF SOUTH CAROLINA MUST MAKE LESS THAN $25,000 700 A YEAR.

IN 2022, 12% OF THE STATE'S POPULATION WERE ON SNAP.

THAT REFLECTS THE NATIONAL PICTURE.

>> WE MUST DISTRIBUTE MORE FOOD TO THE NEEDY.

>> FOOD STAMPS STARTED IN 1964 AS A KEY PART OF PRESIDENT JOHNSON'S WAR ON POVERTY AIMED AT FEEDING LOW-INCOME AMERICANS.

IT'S BECOME A TARGET FOR CONSERVATIVE LAWMAKERS WHO ARGUE THE COUNTRY CAN'T AFFORD A WELFARE PROGRAM THAT COSTS MORE THAN $1 BILLION ANNUALLY.

IN LAST YEAR'S DEBT CEILING AGREEMENT REPUBLICANS NEGOTIATED AN AGE FROM 49 TO 54 AND STATES HAVE EXPERIMENTED WITH MORE STRINGENT SNAP REQUIREMENTS.

FOR NEARLY A DECADE, REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS HAVE PASSED LAWS RESTRICTING WHO QUALIFIES FOR FOOD ASSISTANCE FROM IMPLEMENTING HIGHER WORK REQUIREMENTS AND FORCING PEOPLE TO APPLY FOR CHILD SUPPORT.

KANSAS IS ONE OF THE STATES.

>> I THINK IT IS AN ABSOLUTELY GOOD POLICY.

>> COMMENTS ON THE MINUTES.

>> REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE IS THE CHAIR OF THE KANSAS HOUSE COMMITTEE ON WELFARE REFORM.

>> WE HAVE TO FIND THAT PARENT AND MAKE HER THEY ARE DOING THAT DUTY AND THE MOTHER HAS THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO RUN A STABLE LIFE.

>> IT SEEMS LIKE A VERY DRASTIC MOVE JUST TO FEED MY FAMILY.

>> IN 2017 SIX MONTHS INTO HER PREGNANCY, SEE SELL YEAH'S PARTNER ABANDONED HER AND HER TWO DAUGHTERS AND YOU ARE EX LEFT HER WITH CRIPPLING DEBT.

>> THERE WERE A LOT OF FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES THAT WERE LEFT ON MY SHOULDERS AND IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO RECOVER FROM THAT FINANCIALLY.

>> AFTER GIVING BIRTH, SHE DECIDED TO APPLY FOR SNAP AND REALIZED THAT TO ENROLL SHE WOULD BE REQUIRED TO APPLY FOR CHILD SUPPORT.

>> IT WAS AN -- A MOMENT OF PAUSE BECAUSE I KNEW THAT MY INTENTION WAS NOT TO RELY ON ASSISTANCE LONGER THAN I ABSOLUTELY NEEDED.

>> FOR DOUGLAS, THAT MET OPENING A CASE AGAINST HER NEWBORN SON'S ABSENT FATHER AND ESTABLISH A CHILD SUPPORT ORDER IN COURT.

A DAUNTING PROSPECT.

>> I FELT IF IT APPLIED IT WOULD CREATE AN UNHEALTHY ENVIRONMENT FOR MY SON AND OLDER DAUGHTERS.

>> DOUGLAS CHOSE TO GO WITHOUT.

>> IT'S HEARTBREAKING WHEN YOUR CHILD COMES TO YOU, MOM I'M HUNGRY AND ONLY THING YOU HAVE TO FEED THEM IS A PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY SANDWICH.

>> PARENTS CAN APPLY FOR EXEMPTIONS FROM THE RULE IF IT CREATES A DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR THEM.

>> IF THERE IS GOOD CAUSE FOR EXEMPTIONS, EXEMPTIONS ARE GRANTED.

>> EXEMPTION REQUIRES OFFICIAL EVIDENCE LIKE A POLICE REPORT OR WITNESS STATEMENT.

>> THIS DOESN'T AFFECT THE NONCUSTODIAL PARENT, THIS IS AFFECTING THE MOM AND THE KIDS.

>> KAREN IS A POLICY ADVISER FOR HARVEST HARVESTERS.

SHE SUPPORTS EFFORTS TO REPEAL THE REQUIREMENT.

>> CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES HAS MANY LEVERS TO GET CHILD COULDN'T SUPPORT.

THEY CAN GARNISH WAGES.

BRINGING FOOD ASSISTANCE IN AS A WEAPON IS WHAT WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH.

>> SHE SEES THE EFFECT OF THESE KINDS OF REQUIREMENTS UP CLOSE AT THE FOOD PAN TRIES.

>> THE CT EFFECT PEOPLE ARE NO LONGER ON THESE PROGRAMS OR CAN'T ACCESS THESE PROGRAMS.

>> WHEN ASKED ABOUT SOME CRITICISM OF THE STATE'S RESTRICTIONS ON FOOD ASSISTANCE, THE CHAIRMAN SAID THE POLICIES ARE ABOUT ABOUT CREATING A LIFE OF SELF-SUSTAINABILITY.

>> IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE SPIRIT OF THESE PROGRAMS.

WHAT ARE THEY FOR?

IT'S NOT TO KEEP PEOPLE ON FOOD WELFARE BUT TO HELP THEM.

>> KANSAS RANKS THIRD FROM THE BOTTOM IN ACCESS TO SNAP ACCORDING TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND EXPERTS SAY THREE IN 10 WOULD WOULD OTHERWISE BE ELIGIBLE DO NOT RECEIVE IT LARGELY BECAUSE OF STATE POLICIES.

KANSAS' STATE FOOD STAMP REFORMS HAVE BEEN HELD UP AS A MODEL BY RIGHT-WING GROUPS AND A DOZEN STATES HAVE MADE CHANGES BASED ON THE ONES IN KANSAS.

>> THEY GO TO STATE LEGISLATURES WHERE THEY HAVE A RECEPTIVE AUDIENCE.

>> THE DIRECTOR OF SNAP STRATEGIES, A PROGRESSIVE THINK TANK.

>> WE HAVE SEEN INDICATIONS THAT FOLKS ARE LOSING BENEFITS WITHOUT POSITIVE OUTCOMES.

>> WITH THIS YEAR'S ELECTION, SNAP MAY SOON BE ON THE LINE.E.

FORMER TRUMP PROPOSED CUTS TO FOOD ASSISTANCE AND NODDED AGAIN TO WELFARE RESTRICTIONS ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.

>> THERE IS A LOT YOU CAN DO IN TERMS OF ENTITLEMENTMENTS AND IN TERMS OF THE THEFT AND BAD MANAGEMENT.

>> FURTHER RESTRICTIONS, THEY WORRY, WOULD HURT AMERICA'S POOREST.

>> THE RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THOSE TIME LIMITS DON'T WORK AND THE ONLY INCOME IS LESS SNAP PARTICIPATION AND HOPEFULLY GET PAST OF TAKING AWAY FOOD ASSISTANCE FROM THESE FOLKS IN ORDER TO GET THEM BACK INTO .

>> BACK IN SOUTH CAROLINA, BETSY CRUZ IS GLAD SHE CAN ACCESS THE BENEFITS BUT STILL A STRUGGLE.

>> YESTERDAY, I WAS DIGGING THROUGH PI PURSE TO FIND TWO PENNYS.

>> WHAT DOES THAT FEEL LIKE.

>> IT'S NOT DESCRIBABLE.

I FEEL LIKE TRASH.

BUT -- I'M NOTHING TO THIS COUNTRY.

>> FOR THE PBS "NEWSHOUR".

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