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Policy groups warn TANF and SNAP cuts will deepen hardship; urge Council oversight
Summary
Policy and advocacy groups warned the committee that reinstating TANF time limits, cutting COLAs and expanding SNAP work requirements will push thousands of children and families deeper into poverty. They urged reversal of cuts and careful, transparent implementation.
Maria Menensala of the DC Fiscal Policy Institute told the committee that planned TANF changes — eliminating the annual cost‑of‑living adjustment, reinstating a 60‑month lifetime limit and raising sanctions — will harm roughly 16,000 families and disproportionately affect Black children. "These changes include eliminating TANF's cost of living adjustment, reinstating the 60 month time limit, and increasing sanctions for not meeting work requirements," she said.
Tazra Mitchell, also of DCFPI, warned that federal changes to SNAP will expand time limits and work requirements to many more people and urged DHS and the committee to ensure coordinated outreach, clear exemption processes and real‑time monitoring to avoid unnecessary benefit loss. Advocates asked the council to press DHS for detailed data collection and to use the TANF working group to pursue reversals or mitigations before the changes take effect.
