Posted inPolitics

Showdown on food stamps looms in Congress

WASHINGTON – Unless there’s a last-minute deal, there will be a huge showdown in Congress next week over the future of  food stamps, a federal program that helps feed about 400,000 individuals and families in Connecticut. House conservatives — and President Donald Trump — want to add new work requirements to the program, but there’s resistance in the Senate to that idea.

Posted inPolitics

Congress moves to tighten food stamp rules

Updated at 7:10 p.m.
WASHINGTON — A massive farm bill approved by the House Agriculture Committee Wednesday would end food stamp benefits for many childless adults in 114 Connecticut towns, unless those beneficiaries get a job or work training. Republicans said the change would encourage more recipients to move out of poverty while Democrats said it was a mean-spirited degradation of a critical part of the social safety net.

Posted inNews

Blumenthal milks Senate support for dairy compromise

During the Senate debate Thursday on a $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill, Sen. Richard Blumenthal used a glass of milk as a prop to try to bring attention to a new compromise that might end a deadlock over the dairy program that has stalled a massive farm bill. Blumenthal, D-Conn., said a deal has been cut to keep the current dairy subsidy program while phasing in a new program that would replace those subsides with an insurance plan.