The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a memorandum to state agencies administering the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), emphasizing that states must ensure recipients who are able to work are meeting work requirements to receive benefits.
In the memo, USDA Secretary Rollins emphasized that states are partners in connecting nutrition programs to employment opportunities. The Secretary expressed concern about what was described as abuse of the waiver system by states and announced a new approach for SNAP that will prioritize work, education, and volunteering over what the department characterized as idleness and excessive spending.
The memorandum references the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, which amended the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to include employment assistance as part of SNAP’s purpose. This legislation aimed to reduce dependency on public assistance programs and increase self-sufficiency among recipients.
The guidance specifically addresses the Secretary’s authority to grant waivers to states regarding time limits for Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs) who don’t meet work requirements. According to the Act, the Secretary has sole discretion to grant waivers in areas with unemployment rates over 10% or insufficient jobs for ABAWD individuals.
The USDA memo notes that work requirements for ABAWDs were established by the Personal Responsibility, Work, and Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, which was designed to reduce dependence on public assistance and support self-sufficiency.
The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has committed to consult with state agencies during the waiver review process and provide technical assistance to ensure ABAWD waivers are used only when consistent with the law. The agency also plans to review its current regulatory authorities to implement statutory requirements under Secretary Rollins’ guidance.
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