Clinton Targets Underuse of Food Stamps

Concerned over a sharp drop in food stamp participation, President Clinton announced Wednesday initiatives to ensure that low-income workers who are eligible for food stamps get them.

Clinton and Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman announced a public awareness campaign aimed at educating potential recipients about their rights, including a toll-free hotline to help people ascertain whether they are eligible for food stamps.

“There are a lot of people that have not participated in this recovery,” Clinton said of the economic boom. “We need to do more.”

Administration officials said fewer than 40% of those eligible for food stamps actually apply. Families earning less than 130% of the $16,450 federal poverty line--or below $21,385 annually for a family of four--are eligible.

Despite a robust economy, Glickman said, “the number of families who experience hunger has not changed,” with nearly 10 million people--more than a third of them children--going to bed hungry.

Clinton’s executive actions also would allow states to make it easier for people on food stamps to remain recipients even if they own a car, and would simplify food stamp reporting rules to reduce red tape and encourage recipients to work.

The new rules would allow states to simplify the process for reporting and projecting income.

The guidelines also would let states apply more generous asset tests that continue providing needy families with food stamps even if every member of the household is receiving benefits.

Clinton made his announcement during an address here to the Democratic Leadership Council, a centrist political organization.