BBB Title I Subtitle A - SNAP Cuts (aka Food Stamps)

This first part of the One Big Beautiful Bill relates to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) [conventionally known as Food Stamps]. Section 10101 through Section 10108 relate to SNAP and more or less are large cuts to the program.

This video goes over the changes to the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (otherwise known as SNAP Benefits of Food Stamps) by updating the "Thrifty Food Plan" with targets set forth in the 2018 Farm Bill.

Section 10102 of the Big Beautiful Bill changes around the work requirements of the SNAP Program (aka Food Stamps) and removes a lot of the exemptions for work requirements. Now, unless you are a child, over 65, pregnant, disabled, or a Native American, you will need to be either on Unemployment or work at least 20 hours per week in order to qualify for Food Stamps.

Section 10103 of the Big Beautiful Bill now changes the definition of a "household" in regard to energy assistance via the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 to include only the elderly or the disabled.

Section 10104 of the Big Beautiful Bill is now amended to change the Shelter Deduction for calculating SNAP Benefits (aka Food Stamps). The Shelter Deduction allows recipients to deduct housing expenses (such as rent and utilities) from their income for SNAP calculations; internet charges are no longer allowed to be calculated as a utility.

Section 10105 of the Big Beautiful Bill cracks down on SNAP fraud by creating a quality control plan that establishes better Federal Funding for SNAP (aka Food Stamps) for States that have a lower error rate for issuing benefits. States with an error rate of less than 6% will get 100% funding from the Federal Government for SNAP and states with more than 10% error rate will only receive 85% of funding with the State making up the other 15% of the welfare. As a result, this will drive states to lower error rate and in theory reduce overall SNAP fraud.

Section 10106 of the Big Beautiful Bill is fairly straightforward. Administrative costs of SNAP (aka Food Stamps) are currently shared equally between the Federal and State governments; this Section will cut the sharing by half starting in 2027 at which point 75% of the administrative costs for SNAP will need to be paid for by the States. Theoretically, this should reduce overall administrative costs of the SNAP program.

Section 10107 of the Big Beautiful Bill cuts funding for the "National Education and Obesity Prevention Grant Program" that will take effect in 2026. Essentially, this was a 500-million-dollar program to educate low-income Americans about the negative effects of obesity and why it is important to exercise. This program was funded indefinitely before this law took effect.

Section 10108 of the Big Beautiful Bill essentially cuts all eligibility for SNAP Benefits (aka Food Stamps) to illegal aliens granted under emergency status by the Attorney General and strips future AG's from exercising such power. This being said, Cuban and Haitian Immigrants are specifically excluded from this cut and can still receive SNAP benefits. Additionally, aliens in U.S. territories, such as Puerto Rico, Guam, and American Samoa will still be eligible for SNAP benefits.