KISSIMMEE, Fla. — A U.S. Department of Agriculture proposal submitted Tuesday could change eligibility rules for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, potentially ending food assistance for more than 6.3 million people nationwide.
The proposal targets broad-based categorical eligibility, or BBCE, which allows some lower-income households to become automatically eligible for SNAP if they also qualify for other assistance, such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Under BBCE, those households do not have to go through SNAP’s asset or gross income tests to receive food benefits.
The USDA estimates 16.9% of SNAP households would no longer receive benefits if the proposal moves forward because “their income or resources exceed the Federal statutory limits for SNAP.” The agency said that amounts to about 6.3 million people…