SNAP & Cash Assistance Programs Could Still See Major Changes in 2025 — Here’s What To Look For

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With all the big changes happening politically and economically, many American families are worried that programs they have counted on in the past may go away — and they could go hungry because of it. Though no major changes have been made permanent yet in 2025, there are several potential changes coming to food and cash assistance programs that people use every day.

For example, potential changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) may include stricter work requirements for “able-bodied adults without dependents,” chip-enabled EBT cards to improve security and changes to eligibility rules. Congress is even considering converting SNAP into a block grant and having states pay a share of the benefits, which is a proposal supported by the Republican Study Committee’s budget plan.

If this passes, it would severely limit access to this assistance in times of economic crisis, which is potentially devastating for families already struggling. This is further compounded if the farm bill is reauthorized, as that could slash future benefits for all participants by more than $30 billion over 10 years through limiting future adjustments to the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP), which is used to calculate SNAP benefits.

Kansas Drew a Blueprint for Social Austerity

While states have some flexibility in implementing SNAP programs, it can be good to see what that could look like on a more molecular level. A decade ago in 2015, Kansas passed the HOPE (Hope, Opportunity and Prosperity for Everyone) Act, which made it harder for the state’s neediest residents to access federal food and cash assistance funding.

The law, which detractors called cruel and ineffective but supporters say encourages work and lowers poverty rates, remains one of the most restrictive in the nation. However, the current governor seeks to overhaul the legislation and expand access to SNAP and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs.

The federal government funds SNAP and TANF, but the states have wide latitude in administering them. According to the Kansas Reflector, legislators touted the HOPE Act as a blueprint for reducing generational dependency on public assistance, deterring welfare fraud and reducing unemployment.

However, the publication reported that the neediest Kansans are “falling through the cracks” as application denials pile up and mounting poverty strains the state’s foster system thanks to the country’s most severe and austere public assistance program.

Governor Hopes To Expand Food and Cash Assistance

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly is a Democrat who opposed the HOPE Act while serving as a state senator during the administration of Republican Gov. Sam Brownback, who signed the bill into law. Kelly is pushing to revamp the HOPE Act and restore SNAP and TANF in Kansas, which now serve fewer children than anywhere except Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and North Dakota, which have comparatively tiny populations.

Six Points of Contention

With Republicans in control of both houses of the state legislature, the attorney general’s office and the secretary of state, reform will be easier said than done. Even so, the Reflector reported that Kelley has eyed six factors that she says have reduced access without reducing need:

• The federal government allows up to 60 months of TANF cash assistance in a lifetime, but Kansas capped it at 48 months even before the HOPE Act. The 2015 legislation reduced it to 36 months, then 24 months — just two years out of the five the federal government allows.
• In 2022, Kansas distributed less than 7% of the $161 million in TANF funds it had available for basic needs assistance.
• The act restricted ATM transactions.
• It also made repeat drug offenders ineligible.
• The legislation required applicants to work 30 hours a week or enroll in job training.
• Kansas has slashed its cash assistance programs by 40% but increased its foster care prevention spending by $25 million over the past 14 years.

Federal Erosion of TANF and SNAP Could Tie States’ Hands

Unlike Kansas, the federal government is not divided. The GOP controls the White House and both houses of Congress and enjoys a supermajority of Republican appointees on the Supreme Court, which advocates say could put the entire country on the Kansas model.

All four of President Trump’s first-term budget proposals called for massive reductions to both programs — $20 billion in cuts to TANF and $200 billion — that’s 30% — in cuts to SNAP. Trump has also proposed requiring states to pay 25% of the benefits, a radical departure from 50 years of fully federally funded disbursements. Federal funds account for roughly one-third of state spending, which makes them highly vulnerable to federal cuts.

Some Lawmakers Are Pushing for Expansion

However, several lawmakers outside of Kansas have proposed legislation that would expand access to SNAP and TANF.

• Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC) proposed the Closing the Meal Gap Act, which would use the USDA’s more realistic Low-Cost Food Plan as the basis for SNAP allotments instead of the restrictive Thrifty Food Plan it currently uses.
• Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) proposed the Enhance Access to SNAP (EATS) Act, which would give low-income college students the same priority as non-student SNAP recipients. It would also loosen restrictions and requirements regarding course load and work-study participation.
• Rep. Grace Meng’s (D-NY) Hot Foods Act would allow SNAP recipients to use benefits to purchase hot prepared foods from retailers, which is currently prohibited.

Andrew Lisa contributed to the reporting for this article.

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