A senior Alabama congressman is reviving a Republican effort calling for drug testing for food stamp recipients that could have implications on Georgia’s seemingly frozen push to do that.
U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt introduced legislation late Thursday that would let states use drug testing as a prerequisite for recipients of assistance from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. The measure would also make it harder for people to qualify for SNAP benefits by participating in a government heating assistance program, which Aderholt’s office said would save roughly $1.2 billion. Meanwhile, the bill would create a $600 million fund that states could apply to seeking funds to treat addiction for people who test positive.
If the federal legislation is ultimately enacted, it could help Gov. Nathan Deal implement a state law requiring drug tests for some welfare recipients, which was thrown into limbo late last year after the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta struck down related legislation in Florida. Georgia leaders had delayed enforcing the state’s law as Florida’s version wound through the courts.
Deal signed the measure, which is considered one of the toughest in the nation, in 2014 amid a re-election campaign. It was promptly tied up by USDA officials who contended it violated federal law.
Aderholt’s chief of staff, Brian Rell, said the issues states were having as they sought to require drug testing for some food stamp recipients first came to his office’s attention after the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which runs the SNAP program, wrote a letter to Deal in June 2014 saying Georgia could not implement its law.
In an interview Friday afternoon on Capitol Hill, Aderholt said the legislation is meant to clarify that states have the authority to do so if they choose.
“It’s optional. If a state does not want to do it, they’re not required to do it,” Aderholt said. “But hopefully this will be something that would have good results and states would want to adopt something like this.”
The legislation could also help Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who sued the USDA to allow for such drug testing.
“I’ve heard for quite some time that people are very frustrated, the fact that there can’t be more control when someone is receiving welfare or some kind of help from the federal government and they could still easily be on drugs,” Aderholt said. “The root of the problem is they’ve got a drug problem and that needs to be dealt with.”
SNAP served more than 46 million people last year, according to The Associated Press, costing roughly $74 billion, double the program’s 2008 price tag.
It is not the only poverty-related program being eyed by Republicans in Congress. House GOP leaders are considering special budget legislation that would overhaul the country’s welfare programs, an effort that’s likely to attract scant Democratic support.
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