Republican senators are arguing that the economic recession was not the only reason that food stamp spending growth outpaced increases in defense, Medicaid and transportation spending over the last four years.
“While the poor economy has undeniably increased the number of people on food stamps, this alone cannot explain the extraordinary growth in the program. For instance, between 2001 and 2006, food stamp spending doubled — but the unemployment rate remained around 5 percent,” Alabama Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions, ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, said on the Senate floor Thursday.
According to Senate Budget Committee Republicans, spending on the federal government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — food stamps – has quadrupled since 2001 and doubled in just the last four years. In the same four-year period, the number of Americans on those benefits increased 65 percent, from 28.8 million in 2008 to 46.6 million in 2012.
Food stamp spending represents 80 percent of the 2012 Farm Bill. Crop insurance, commodities and conservation make up the remaining 20 percent.
Food stamp advocates argue that the increase in spending and participation is largely due to the recession and “counter-cyclical.” That means that once the economy improves, the estimated number of recipients will still be higher than before the recession.
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