GEOFF BENNETT: Last night, we looked at# the House Republican plan for Medicaid## in the Trump legislative agenda.

Tonight, we focus on another program## facing sweeping reform and cuts in that budget# bill.

That's SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition## Assistance Program, once known as food stamps.

The# anti-hunger program reaches more than 41 million## low-income Americans, who receive an average# of about $187 in food benefits each month.## The Congressional Budget Office projects# proposed changes would save billions of## dollars, but millions of people would# no longer be eligible for the program.

Our Lisa Desjardins is here.

So, Lisa, what cuts do House Republicans# want to make to this program?

LISA DESJARDINS: These would be the most sweeping## reductions in this program since the# Food Stamp Act was passed in 1964.

House Republicans, one, would make states pay# more for this, and, number two, implement more## requirements so eventually fewer people would# benefit.

First of all, those requirements are## work requirements, and they would apply to more# people.

They would now force states to pay a## share of this program.

And they would limit the# beneficiaries to U.S. citizens only.

All in all,## that would save just under $300 billion,# according to the Congressional Budget Office.

That is money that House Republicans would# use to pay for tax cuts in this bill.

GEOFF BENNETT: And what impact# might the work requirement have?

LISA DESJARDINS: It's significant.

Now, the focus here is on the most.. and that is for able-bodied people right now# who don't have dependents.

It's 80 hours a## month.

That can be work or volunteering.# So let's look at how they're expanding it,## because the age is what has been# expanding in this requirement.

In 2022, this requirement was for people up to# age 49, but then it changed so that currently## it is required of people up to age 54.

House# Republicans would expand it again by more so## that everyone up to age 64 under this program# would be required to meet those 80 hours a month.

It also would change for people with# children.

Right now, if you have a child,## you are not required to meet this 80 hours# of work.

But the House plan would require## you to do it if you have a child who is# 7 years old or more.

Also mentioning,## if you're a married couple, only one person in# the marriage has to do the work requirement.

So,## if you're a single parent, you have to do# that, and you're also single parenting.

All right, so what does that mean overall, the# numbers?

Let's take a look.

The Congressional## Budget Office says these work requirements would# save about $100 billion, and that's largely## because more than three million people would# be out of the program as a result.

Most of them## are adults without children, and states would# not be able to create waivers to keep them in.

Now, even though these are adults that are# coming off of the program, CBO believes,## as an indirect effect, something like 400,000 kids## would lose school lunches as well,# though conservatives question that.

GEOFF BENNETT: So those are the numbers.

What's# the underlying debate that's fueling all of this?

LISA DESJARDINS: This is a very classic# ideological and intense academic debate as well.

For conservatives, what's central here is how to# get out of the cycle of poverty.

They see safety## net programs as an entry point into that cycle.# They want more self-sufficiency.

So we talked to## experts who believe that the work requirement# here is not too much of a burden for SNAP.

And, specifically, we spoke to Angela# Rachidi of the left -- the right-leaning AEI.

ANGELA RACHIDI, American Enterprise Institute:# The participation rate among eligible is close## to 90 percent.

In some states, it's even# 100 percent.

And so SNAP is available.

It's## robust.

I think a very small work requirement# that can be satisfied through things even like## volunteering.

I don't think that's an expectation# that's too high for much of this population.

LISA DESJARDINS: Now, they think that# this is something that's helpful,## getting people more to work.

But, on the left, they see the exact reverse# he.. are something that help people survive and# get strength so that they can get back to## work and get more self-sufficient.# They think that work requirements,## what they do is, they hurt people while they're# trying to get on their feet.

And they point out## that many people who are on SNAP are in# between jobs, looking for jobs right now.

We spoke to Lauren Bauer, who is with# the left-leaning Brookings Institution.

LAUREN BAUER, Brookings Institution: SNAP# work requirements punish the unemployed.## Searching for jobs, for work is not an# allowable use of your time when you're## being subject to SNAP work requirements.# And so what we end up doing is punishing## people who can't find a job within# three months.

During recessions,## that is the vast, vast majority of people# who become enrolled ON the program.

LISA DESJARDINS: It's also harder on# older Americans as well in the work force.

Now, there is not a lot of research that# really pins down what happens with these## work requirements.

There is economic theory# that there is a kind of demotivating factor## if you don't have a work requirement.

But on# the other hand, there's empirical evidence that## says people who are unemployed and get SNAP# benefits find better and longer-lasting jobs.

GEOFF BENNETT: And the other Republican goal here## is to push more responsibility# for this program to the states.

LISA DESJARDINS: That's right.

And this is a bi.. not pay anything for the benefits on SNAP.# But starting in 2028, under this proposal,## states would pay at least 25 percent.# And that would increase if the states## have a higher error rate.

So what# we're talking about right now is,## those are states with a higher error rates# currently is 25, about half of the country.

They would pay 25 percent of the benefits in# their state.

There's some time to work out the## error issues here.

But, just this week,# Wisconsin, which has a low error rate,## said that this would cost it hundreds of millions# of dollars and sent out a warning about that.

GEOFF BENNETT: And we should explain# what that means.

What's an error rate?

LISA DESJARDINS: An error rate means that you# have paid someone on SNAP too much or too little.

GEOFF BENNETT: Got it.

I want to ask you, with Elon Mu.. the future of the DOGE austerity plan?

I know you# have reported on that extensively on the Hill.

LISA DESJARDINS: Well, some# things, like for example,## the reorganization of the# State Department and USAID,## are moving.

The State Department just# transmitted that plan to Congress today.

But other things like the cuts, which,# frankly, have sometimes been hard to track,## have not been congressionally approved# at all.

Some members would like to do## that.

But I don't think the votes# are there right now in the Senate.

There is one thing, cuts to the# Corporation for Public Broadcasting,## PBS and NPR.

We do expect a rescission# package perhaps.

I expect it, I'm told,## in Congress next week.

And# we will follow that closely.

GEOFF BENNETT: Lisa Desjardins,# our thanks to you, as always.

LISA DESJARDINS: You're welcome.