Latest news with #SenateAgricultureCommittee
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Senate GOP prepares to unveil SNAP piece of Trump agenda bill as some expect changes
Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said Thursday he expects the panel will release its slice of President Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' next panel has jurisdiction over the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and some Republicans have been concerned about a proposal that would see states' share of SNAP benefits, which are currently fully covered by the federal government, increase. 'This is going to be a big topic of conversation on Tuesday,' Tuberville, who is running for governor in Alabama, told The House version of Trump's bill calls for the federal share of the cost of SNAP to go from 100 percent in the next two fiscal years to 95 percent starting fiscal also includes language that would increase states' shares of the costs in fiscal 2028 depending on their payment error rates. If the error rate is 6 percent or higher, states would be subject to a sliding scale that could see their share of allotments rise to a range of between 15 percent and 25 about the proposal on Wednesday, Tuberville told The Hill, 'We'll have to look at when we get finished with it, I think that'll probably change some.''So, we'll hold off on that until we get the final saying on our side,' he said, adding states like Alabama would 'have a tough time, you know, picking up the bill on that.'Asked if states should cover some of the cost, Tuberville said 'it shouldn't all be federal, but more money is going to go back to state, so we should be able to afford it.'But he added that the 25 percent maximum for the cost-sharing proposal is 'pretty high' and that he doesn't 'know whether it's going to stay there.'Sen. Jim Justice ( a former governor, also told The Hill on Tuesday that he would 'reserve' his opinion of the proposal, citing a need to see where 'the final tweaks' would be.'There's folks that really believe we should cut more and more and more, and at the end of the day, I believe exactly what our president has already said in regard to waste and abuse and fraud and all that kind of stuff,' he told The Hill.'But I do not believe that we need to do things that are genuinely hurting people,' Justice added. Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.), a member of the Agriculture Committee, also said Thursday that the committee was looking at 'possibly next week' for the panel's text to be locked down. But he noted there's not a 'definitive date,' as senators are still working with their in-house referee to determine what proposals are permitted under the Senate's restrictive budget rules. He also said senators are looking at what the 'House did vis-a-vis the state cost-share' proposal. 'We've got some ideas on incentives that would save money, but might be a little different.' 'I'm not ready to go in to say, all I can tell you at this point is we're looking at what the state did on cost share, and we're looking at some different ways to do it,' he said. 'And we haven't made a decision yet.' Asked about the ideas being looked at, Hoeven said senators are looking at 'different ways to do accountability and savings and making sure that people who are getting food stamps and shouldn't be because they're illegal immigrants, or they are able to work, or all these things, that that is addressed.' 'If that's done well enough, we could get a pretty good number,' he said. There is also some uncertainty around the fate of some of the House-crafted proposals aimed at getting a head start on work toward a new farm bill. Congress agreed to another extension of the 2018 farm bill as part of a larger government funding compromise last year after bipartisan talks on a new farm deal fell apart. Asked if the House's farm provisions will survive, Hoeven, who also heads the subcommittee that hashes out annual funding for the Department of Agriculture and rural development, said Thursday that the 'House put a lot of the farm bill in there, versus just what we've said, safety net and SNAP, and so some of that may not.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
3 days ago
- Business
- The Hill
Senate GOP prepares to unveil SNAP piece of Trump agenda bill as some expect changes
Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said Thursday he expects the panel will release its slice of President Trump's one 'big, beautiful bill' next panel has jurisdiction over the supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP), and some Republicans have been concerned about a proposal that would see states' share of SNAP benefits, which are currently fully covered by the federal government, increase. 'This is going to be a big topic of conversation on Tuesday,' Tuberville, who is running for governor, told The House version of Trump's bill calls for the federal share of the cost of SNAP to go from 100 percent in the next two fiscal years to 95 percent starting fiscal also includes language that would increase states' shares of the costs in fiscal year 2028 depending on their payment error rates. If the error rate is 6 percent or higher, states would be subject to a sliding scale that could see their share of allotments rise to a range of between 15 percent and 25 about the proposal on Wednesday, Tuberville told The Hill, 'We'll have to look at when we get finished with it, I think that'll probably change some.''So, we'll hold off on that until we get the final saying on our side,' he said, adding states like Alabama would 'have a tough time, you know, picking up the bill on that.'Asked if states should cover some of the cost, Tuberville said 'it shouldn't all be federal, but more money is going to go back to state, so we should be able to afford it.'But he added that the 25 percent maximum for the cost-sharing proposal is 'pretty high' and that he doesn't 'know whether it's going to stay there.'Sen. Jim Justice ( a former governor, also told The Hill on Tuesday that he would 'reserve' his opinion of the proposal, citing a need to see where 'the final tweaks' would be.'There's folks that really believe we should cut more and more and more, and at the end of the day, I believe exactly what our president has already said in regard to waste and abuse and fraud and all that kind of stuff,' he told The Hill.'But I do not believe that we need to do things that are genuinely hurting people,' Justice added. Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.), a member of the Agriculture Committee, also said Thursday that the committee was looking at 'possibly next week' for the panel's text to be locked down. But he noted there's not a 'definitive date' as senators are still working with their in-house referee to determine what proposals are permitted under the Senate's restrictive budget rules. He also said senators are looking at what the 'House did vis a vis the state cost share' proposal. 'We've got some ideas on incentives that would save money, but might be a little different.' 'I'm not ready to go in to say, all I can tell you at this point is we're looking at what the state did on cost share, and we're looking at some different ways to do it,' he said. 'And we haven't made a decision yet.' Asked about the ideas being looked at, Hoeven said senators are looking at 'different ways to do accountability and savings and making sure that people who are getting food stamps and shouldn't be because they're illegal immigrants, or they are able to work, or all these things, that that is addressed.' 'If that's done well enough, we could get a pretty good number,' he said. There is also some uncertainty around the fate of some of the House-crafted proposals aimed at getting a head start on work toward a new farm bill. Congress agreed to another extension of the 2018 farm bill as part of a larger government funding compromise last year after bipartisan talks on a new farm deal fell apart. Asked if the House's farm provisions will survive, Hoeven, who also heads the subcommittee that hashes out annual funding for the Department of Agriculture and rural development, said Thursday that the 'House put a lot of the farm bill in there, versus just what we've said, safety net and SNAP, and so some of that may not.'
The Hill
26-05-2025
- Business
- The Hill
House GOP's SNAP proposal sparks concern from Senate Republicans
A House GOP-backed proposal that would cut billions in federal dollars from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the nation's largest food assistance program, is drawing concerns from Republicans in the upper chamber. The proposal, included in House Republicans' recently-passed package to enact President Trump's tax priorities and spending cuts, would require states to cover a share of SNAP benefits costs, which are currently completely funded by the federal government. 'That's something that I heard some members voice concern about,' Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman (R-Ark.) said Thursday. 'So, we'll need to address that.' While Boozman said Senate Republicans aren't drawing a red line around the plan just yet, members 'want to look specifically at how those particular policies will affect their individual states.' 'Some of that we know, some of it we don't.' The House bill calls for the federal share of the cost of SNAP to go from 100 percent in the next two fiscal years to 95 percent starting fiscal year 2028. It also includes language that would increase states' shares of the costs in fiscal 2028 depending on their payment error rates. If the error rate is 6 percent or higher, states would be subject to a sliding scale that could see their share of allotments rise to a range of between 15 percent and 25 percent. 'That's in the we'll see category. I'm not sure what's going to happen with that,' Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) told The Hill on Thursday when asked about the idea. 'We're going to talk to committee members who can talk to our caucus as a whole,' he said, but he noted that the House's cost-share pitch for states goes 'beyond' what some senators had been looking at for 'accountability' efforts. Republicans defending the proposal say the measure would hold states accountable for billions of dollars in erroneous payments to participants annually, providing an incentive for states to keep their payment error rates down. 'We've seen that when states actually focus on error rates, they can bring them down very quickly, and obviously that's what we want, but we don't want people who are not eligible for the program receiving payments,' Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) said this week. 'These error rates are far too high.' In fiscal year 2023, data from the Agriculture Department (USDA) showed that the national payment error rate was 11.68 percent. The vast majority of states on the list have payment error rates, which factors in a state's overpayments and underpayments, above 6 percent. But Democrats have sharply criticized the proposal, which they argue could lead to states cutting benefits on their own. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated this week that the SNAP proposal would reduce direct spending by more than $128 billion from 2028 to 2034 – accounting for a chunk of the minimum $230 billion in savings the House Agriculture Committee was instructed to find as part of the lower chamber's first stab at crafting Trump's 'big, beautiful bill.' Other proposals in the bill would tighten eligibility requirements for the program, seek to block the federal government from being able to increase monthly benefits in the future, and increase states' share of costs to administer SNAP. Democrats are seizing on an analysis they requested from CBO on the potential effects of the plan, which estimated about 1.3 million people could see their benefits reduced or eliminated in an average month between 2025 and 2034 if lawmakers take the approach to require states to cover some benefit costs. While the CBO noted 'there would be a variety of state responses to the new requirement,' it said it expects 'that some states would maintain current benefits and eligibility and others would modify benefits or eligibility or possibly leave the program altogether because of the increased costs.' 'In CBO's view, state responses would vary; thus, CBO estimated state responses in the aggregate using a probabilistic approach to account for a range of possible outcomes,' it said in a letter on Thursday. The CBO estimated that such reductions or eliminations in benefits would lead to a roughly $30 billion decrease in direct spending from 2028 to 2034. It also estimated 'subsidies provided through child nutrition programs would decrease for about 420,000 children in an average month, reducing direct spending by about $700 million over the 2028–2034 period.' The CBO noted that the analysis does 'not account for interactions among provisions,' explaining that the sum of effects to separately enact each measure would differ from the effects of enacting multiple proposed SNAP reforms at once due to the overlap in affected populations. In a statement on Thursday, Rep. Angie Craig (Minn.), top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, accused Republicans of waging an 'attack on working Americans that takes food away from families.' 'The Republicans' budget will make America hungrier, poorer and sicker. Parents struggling to afford groceries for their families and seniors living on fixed incomes will have their food taken away if this bill becomes law,' she said. SNAP work requirements for able bodied adults without dependents would also expand under the plan, which calls for increasing the age threshold at which such adults must continue to work to qualify from up to 54 to 64 years of age. While many of the proposals are supported by Republicans of various factions in both chambers, some voted for the plan this week with the expectation that the Senate would eventually make some changes in the House. Rep. Don Bacon (D-Neb.), a key moderate, said he's open to states fronting a portion of SNAP benefit costs, but wasn't entirely in favor of the 5-25 percent cost-sharing range for states. 'I really didn't like it, but I don't mind a small mark, because, really, they execute it, and if they're not executing them well, this gives them skin in the game,' Bacon told The Hill. But he added that 25 percent 'seems a little high.'
Chicago Tribune
23-05-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
What issues to watch as ‘big, beautiful bill' moves to the Senate
WASHINGTON — House Republicans were jubilant after muscling through President Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful' tax and immigration package by a single vote. But across the Capitol, senators were more cautious. Senate Majority Leader John Thune can afford to lose three Republican senators and still pass the bill, and there are more than that, right now, who have problems with it. Like the House, he will have to balance the concerns from moderate and conservative members of his conference. Republicans' aspirational deadline is July 4, ahead of a potential debt default. Thune said groups of senators had already been meeting to discuss the legislation and that they would want to take some time to review it. 'And then we'll put our stamp on it,' he said. 'We'll see how it goes,' Thune said. 'What does it take to get to 51?' A look at a few of the potential sticking points in the Senate: Several Republican senators have said the House's multi-trillion-dollar tax package doesn't have enough savings. Thune said many in his GOP conference favor the tax breaks in the bill but 'when it comes to the spending side of the equation, this is a unique moment in time, in history, where we have the House and the Senate and the White House, and an opportunity to do something meaningful about how to control government spending.' Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., a sharp critic of the House bill, wants the United States to go back to pre-pandemic spending levels. He has indicated he would be a no on the bill as it stands now, and he says he has at least three other senators aligned with him. Senate Republicans are generally on board with stricter work requirements for older Medicaid recipients that make up much of the bill's $700 billion savings from the program. But Republican Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri, Jerry Moran of Kansas and Susan Collins of Maine, among others, have voiced concerns about other changes in the bill that could potentially cut funding to rural hospitals or increase copays and other health care costs for recipients. The senators could have a powerful ally in Trump, who has frequently said he doesn't want cuts to Medicaid, even as he's endorsed the House bill. Hawley said he talked to Trump this week on the phone and 'his exact words were, 'Don't touch it, Josh.'' Others have been wary of the House bill's effort to shift some costs of the food stamp program to states, potentially a major issue for some red states that have high numbers of food aid recipients. The House bill saves $290 billion from the food aid, and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman said the Senate savings will be 'probably be a little bit lower.' Thune said this week that 'one of the principal differences' between the House and Senate is that Republican senators want to make many of the tax cuts permanent while the House bill has shorter time frames for many of its cuts — including no taxes on tips, overtime pay, car-loan interest and others. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo said Thursday that trying to make some of the cuts permanent is 'an objective right now.' One of the biggest questions for the Senate: whether the tax breaks really need to be offset by cuts elsewhere. To offset the costs of lost tax revenue, House Republicans have proposed more than $1 trillion in spending reductions across Medicaid, food stamps and green energy program rollbacks. However, Republicans in the Senate do not believe there is a cost associated with permanently extending the existing taxes, setting up a political and procedural showdown ahead. The House bill includes a $4 trillion increase in the debt limit. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned that the United States is on track to run out of money to pay its bills as early as August without congressional action. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said he won't support the bill if the debt ceiling increase is included. He said he's willing to consider it if it's taken out. But most Republican senators want it to avoid a separate fight that would require 60 votes in the Senate. Texas Sen. John Cornyn said that if they deal with the debt ceiling outside of the legislation then they would have to 'pay a king's ransom' to Democrats to get enough votes. Several Republican senators have said they are concerned about House provisions that repeal or phase out clean energy tax credits passed in 2022 that have spurred investment in many states. Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, John Curtis of Utah and Moran wrote Thune a letter last month arguing that removing the credits could 'create uncertainty, jeopardizing capital allocation, long-term project planning, and job creation in the energy sector and across our broader economy.' The House bill would ban states and localities from regulating artificial intelligence for a decade, giving the federal government more control over the policy. It's an approach that has been favored by the AI industry but has drawn concern from members on both sides of the aisle. And even if it has enough support, the provision may not pass muster from the Senate parliamentarian because it's unlikely to have impact on the federal budget. With a narrow margin for victory and only 53 Republicans in the Senate, every senator's top priority takes on outsize importance. South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds said he supports the House bill but that the way that it deals with spectrum auctions — selling off telecommunications signal rights — is a 'dealbreaker' for him. He said he's in talks with other senators on the issue. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said one of his main goals is that they include money for certain farm safety net programs and set up passage for a broader farm bill later this year. 'In the end, we have to have 50 plus one supporting it,' Hoeven said. 'So we've got some work to do.'
Boston Globe
23-05-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
What issues to watch as Trump's ‘big, beautiful bill' moves to the Senate
'We'll see how it goes,' Thune said. 'What does it take to get to 51?' Advertisement A look at a few of the potential sticking points in the Senate: Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Spending Several Republican senators have said the House's multi-trillion-dollar tax package doesn't have enough savings. Thune said many in his GOP conference favor the tax breaks in the bill but 'when it comes to the spending side of the equation, this is a unique moment in time, in history, where we have the House and the Senate and the White House, and an opportunity to do something meaningful about how to control government spending.' Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., a sharp critic of the House bill, wants the United States to go back to pre-pandemic spending levels. He has indicated he would be a no on the bill as it stands now, and he says he has at least three other senators aligned with him. Advertisement Medicaid and food stamp cuts Senate Republicans are generally on board with stricter work requirements for older Medicaid recipients that make up much of the bill's $700 billion savings from the program. But Republican Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri, Jerry Moran of Kansas and Susan Collins of Maine, among others, have voiced concerns about other changes in the bill that could potentially cut funding to rural hospitals or increase copays and other health care costs for recipients. The senators could have a powerful ally in Trump, who has frequently said he doesn't want cuts to Medicaid, even as he's endorsed the House bill. Hawley said he talked to Trump this week on the phone and 'his exact words were, 'Don't touch it, Josh.'' Others have been wary of the House bill's effort to shift some costs of the food stamp program to states, potentially a major issue for some red states that have high numbers of food aid recipients. The House bill saves $290 billion from the food aid, and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman said the Senate savings will be 'probably be a little bit lower.' Permanent tax cuts Thune said this week that 'one of the principal differences' between the House and Senate is that Republican senators want to make many of the tax cuts permanent while the House bill has shorter time frames for many of its cuts — including no taxes on tips, overtime pay, car-loan interest and others. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo said Thursday that trying to make some of the cuts permanent is 'an objective right now.' How to pay for it all One of the biggest questions for the Senate: whether the tax breaks really need to be offset by cuts elsewhere. Advertisement To offset the costs of lost tax revenue, House Republicans have proposed more than $1 trillion in spending reductions across Medicaid, food stamps and green energy program rollbacks. However, Republicans in the Senate do not believe there is a cost associated with permanently extending the existing taxes, setting up a political and procedural showdown ahead. Debt limit The House bill includes a $4 trillion increase in the debt limit. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned that the United States is on track to run out of money to pay its bills as early as August without congressional action. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said he won't support the bill if the debt ceiling increase is included. He said he's willing to consider it if it's taken out. But most Republican senators want it to avoid a separate fight that would require 60 votes in the Senate. Texas Sen. John Cornyn said that if they deal with the debt ceiling outside of the legislation then they would have to 'pay a king's ransom' to Democrats to get enough votes. Energy tax credits Several Republican senators have said they are concerned about House provisions that repeal or phase out clean energy tax credits passed in 2022 that have spurred investment in many states. Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, John Curtis of Utah and Moran wrote Thune a letter last month arguing that removing the credits could 'create uncertainty, jeopardizing capital allocation, long-term project planning, and job creation in the energy sector and across our broader economy.' Artificial intelligence The House bill would ban states and localities from regulating artificial intelligence for a decade, giving the federal government more control over the policy. It's an approach that has been favored by the AI industry but has drawn concern from members on both sides of the aisle. Advertisement And even if it has enough support, the provision may not pass muster from the Senate parliamentarian because it's unlikely to have impact on the federal budget. Other issues With a narrow margin for victory and only 53 Republicans in the Senate, every senator's top priority takes on outsize importance. South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds said he supports the House bill but that the way that it deals with spectrum auctions — selling off telecommunications signal rights — is a 'dealbreaker' for him. He said he's in talks with other senators on the issue. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said one of his main goals is that they include money for certain farm safety net programs and set up passage for a broader farm bill later this year. 'In the end, we have to have 50 plus one supporting it,' Hoeven said. 'So we've got some work to do.' Associated Press writer Lisa Mascaro contributed to this story.
