GOP Bill Cuts Food Stamps to Entire Family if One Member Strikes

Jordan

H.R. 1167 CUTS FOOD STAMPS to ENTIRE FAMILIES IF ONE FAMILY MEMBER PARTICIPATES IN STRIKE. Yeah I didn’t really believe it either until I actually read the language myself. The House GOP appears to be focusing their legislative agenda on issues that disproportionately effect poor and low income individuals.  Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the Chair of the Republican Study Group, is the lead sponsor on a piece of legislation that would cut off food stamps to an entire family of recipients if one member of that family participates in a work stoppage or strike.  The language is included in H.R. 1167, the Welfare Reform Act of 2011. Though there was comprehensive welfare reform passed by the Clinton Administration, the House GOP again chooses to focus on an issue that effects poor and low income individuals. I found the passage in the legislation myself. Here it is below:

co-sponsor Tim Scott

“(3) STRIKING WORKERS INELIGIBLE- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no member of a family unit shall participate in the food stamp program at any time that any able-bodied work eligible adult member of such household is on strike as defined in the Labor Management Relations Act, 1947 (29 U.S.C. 142(2)), because of a labor dispute (other than a lockout) as defined in section 2(9) of the National Labor Relations Act (29 U.S.C. 152(9)): Provided, That a family unit shall not lose its eligibility to participate in the food stamp program as a result of one of its members going on strike if the household was eligible immediately prior to such strike, however, such family unit shall not receive an increased allotment as the result of a decrease in the income of the striking member or members of the household: Provided further, That such ineligibility shall not apply to any family unit that does not contain a member on strike, if any of its members refuses to accept employment at a plant or site because of a strike or lockout.”
read entire bill here

There are four co-sponsors on this legislation. They are Reps. Tim Scott, who is one of two black GOP freshman in the House, Dan Burton and Louis Gohmert.