In Executive Order, Trump Directs Agencies To Strengthen Work Requirements For Recipients Of Government Aid
Conservatives are using the executive order to push federal health officials to approve pending Medicaid work requirement requests in several other Republican-led states. But many poverty experts say the majority of those receiving help from the government already work if they're able to.
The New York Times:
Trump Signs Order To Require Recipients Of Federal Aid Programs To Work
President Trump quietly signed a long-anticipated executive order on Tuesday intended to force low-income recipients of food assistance, Medicaid and low-income housing subsidies to join the work force or face the loss of their benefits. The order, in the works since last year, has an ambitious title — “Reducing Poverty in America” — and is directed at “any program that provides means-tested assistance or other assistance that provides benefits to people, households or families that have low incomes,” according to the order’s text. (Thrush, 4/10)
The Associated Press:
Trump Signs Executive Order Pushing Work For Welfare
"Part of President Trump's effort to create a booming American economy includes moving Americans from welfare to work and supporting and encouraging others to support common-sense reforms that restore American prosperity and help them reclaim their independence," he said. The order focuses on looking for ways to strengthen existing work requirements and exploring new requirements for benefits such as food stamps, cash and housing assistance programs. (4/10)
The Washington Post:
Trump Executive Order Strengthens Work Requirements For Neediest Americans
The executive order is the strongest statement Trump has made about the country’s social safety net program since his February budget proposal to slash billions of dollars in food stamps, health insurance and federal housing subsidies. Trump indicated at the time that he would push legislation to institute broad work requirements for families receiving housing vouchers, expanding on moves by some states to require recipients of Medicaid and food stamps to work. (Jan, 4/10)
The Wall Street Journal:
Trump Signs Executive Order For Revamp Of Federal Aid Programs
Democratic and liberal critics of the policies have countered that many programs help low-income families that are already working, and additional requirements would increase bureaucracy for them and for local and state governments. “The evidence shows that such requirements have few long-term positive effects on employment and often result in families losing help they need to afford the basics,” said Sharon Parrott, a senior fellow at the left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (Radnofsky, 4/10)