{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://dustyjohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases/johnson-leads-work-requirements-fight-us-house", "Johnson Leads Work Requirements Fight in the U.S. House", "2023-03-14", "2023", "2023-03", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Dusty Johnson", "J000301", "dustyjohnson.house.gov", "dustyjohnson", "https://dustyjohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) introduced the America Works Act, a bill to reform work requirements for able-bodied Americans receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Current federal law requires Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs) younger than 49 years old on SNAP to participate in work, training, or education for 20 hours a week.\n\nCurrently, 18 states utilize waivers to exempt individuals from work requirements. Unfortunately, many states abuse these waivers and ignore work requirements for ABAWDs. Johnson\u2019s bill would close the loophole allowing those waivers. According to data prior to the pandemic, 1.36 million ABAWD households reported zero dollars in gross income \u2013 meaning they did not work at all.\n\n\u201cWork is the best pathway out of poverty,\u201d said Johnson. \u201cWork requirements have proven to be effective, and people who can work should work. With more than 11 million open jobs, there are plenty of opportunities for SNAP recipients to escape poverty and build a better life.\u201d\n\nThe America Works Act of 2023:\n\nEmphasizes and amends work requirements for Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs) requiring childless adults, unless exempted, to work or participate in work-related training or education, for at least 20 hours per week in order to receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.\n\nThis bill maintains current law which states that ABAWDs are subject to a three-month limit of SNAP benefits unless they work 80 hours per month.\n\nRaises the age limits of an ABAWD from 18 to 49 to 18 to 65, consistent with the age individuals become eligible for Medicare.\n\nEmployment projections from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics show that individuals over the age of 55 are projected to assume over 25% of the workforce in 2022.\n\nThe America Works Act of 2023 eliminates states\u2019 ability to carry over exemption waivers from year to year, reducing instances of stockpiling and hampering abuses of the law.\n\nStates are currently allowed robust flexibility in managing their SNAP population, with 12% of state caseloads eligible for exemptions from the work requirements. Johnson\u2019s bill maintains that flexibility, but doesn\u2019t allow states to carry over exemptions year after year.\n\nReps. Chuck Edwards (NC-11), Warren Davidson (OH-08), Jake Ellzey (TX-06), Mary Miller (IL-15), Doug Lamborn (CO-05), August Pfluger (TX-11), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05), Josh Brecheen (OK-02), Jen Kiggans (VA-02), Randy Feenstra (IA-04), Troy Nehls (TX-22), Ryan Zinke (MT-01), Mark Alford (MO-04), Andy Ogles (TN-05), Max Miller (OH-07), Pat Fallon (TX-04), Virginia Foxx (NC-05), Randy Weber (TX-14), Glenn Grothman (WI-06), Tim Walberg (MI-05), Richard Hudson (NC-09), Scott Franklin (FL-18),and Michael Cloud (TX-27) are original cosponsors of the America Works Act.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T23:30:02Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://dustyjohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases/johnson-leads-work-requirements-fight-us-house"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9107929654419422, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}