The GOP Proposal Targets Work Requirements and Federal Spending
Congressional Republicans are advancing a sweeping bill aimed at cutting federal spending and tightening work requirements for public assistance. The proposal primarily targets Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), especially for childless adults without disabilities. However, families with children—including single mothers like Mia in California—would also be affected. If enacted, the measure would impose stricter work requirements on SNAP recipients with children and parents of teenagers enrolled in Medicaid. Critics warn these changes could lead to millions losing benefits.
Life in the Benefits Gap: Mia’s Balancing Act
Mia, a single mother in Capistrano Beach, relies on Medicaid and SNAP to support her son, who has severe asthma. Although she works part-time as a substitute teacher, her inconsistent hours once triggered mandatory job training to retain her SNAP benefits. Earning more could disqualify her from Medicaid, yet she can’t afford her son’s medical expenses without it. “If you’re trying to move out of poverty, you’re on your own,” she said. She describes the system as a trap: improving her income risks losing the very benefits that keep her household afloat.
Historical Shifts in Welfare Policy Hurt Single Moms
Social safety net programs, such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), were initially designed for single mothers; however, reforms over time have shifted the focus to personal responsibility and work. The 1996 welfare reform eliminated guaranteed aid, pushing eligibility rules and funding decisions to states. Experts argue this framework reinforces racial, gender, and class inequities, leaving many low-income families behind. Many single mothers, particularly those of color, continue to face systemic barriers that limit their opportunities to move beyond poverty.
Pandemic-Era Relief Shows What’s Possible—But It’s Gone
In 2021, expanded child tax credits temporarily slashed poverty rates for single mothers. Those gains vanished when the benefits expired. While the GOP bill increases the credit amount, it doesn’t expand access for the poorest families. An estimated 65% of children with single mothers would be ineligible for the full credit under the House proposal. Many experts view this as a missed opportunity to replicate the pandemic-era success in permanently reducing child poverty.
Administrative Hurdles Could Block Families From Benefits
Both the Senate and House bills propose new documentation requirements for tax credits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit. Advocates warn that single mothers, already pressed for time and resources, may be unable to navigate additional bureaucracy. “They don’t have extra capacity,” said tax policy expert Kris Cox. Similar paperwork requirements in the past have led to a decline in the number of eligible households receiving benefits. Detractors say the changes risk pushing vulnerable families deeper into poverty for the sake of reducing government expenditures.
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Single Moms Will Bear the Brunt of the Republicans’ Budget Cuts
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