Several lawmakers weren’t happy when the Army suggested that soldiers battling the rising inflation rate go on food stamps after President Joe Biden’s student loan handout.
Speaking to Fox News, several lawmakers from both parties raised their concerns regarding the Army’s suggestion that soldiers impacted by inflation enroll in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
“The people that are in our military are protecting our country, putting their lives [at risk], they’re making great sacrifices…,” said Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Dan Meuser. “On the same note, if individuals who are in the Armed Services choose to go on the SNAP program, that’s up to them.”
“Nevertheless, yeah, I think our priorities are a little mixed up when we’re choosing special interests, which is being done: those who did not pay their loans off at the sake of those who did, related to higher education,” Meuser continued. “So it’s just wrong.”
Arkansas Rep. French Hill called the situation “crazy,” noting the Biden administration’s bizarre priorities.
“Let’s think about that. Now, the Biden administration has not gotten the national defense authorization bill through the Senate yet,” Hill said. “Something where we voted for a pay increase and for benefit increases for our men and women in uniform — we need to take care of them first and foremost.”
“Now what hypocrisy to turn around and say that we’re going to what, I’ve read to be, $560 billion of student loan debt next fiscal year, ballooning the deficit. So, it’s typical of the Biden administration’s mismanagement on both sides of the ledger and making a bad decision, an immoral decision to forgive student loan debt — a problem created by President Obama, I might add as a footnote — and, in turn, suggesting our men and women in uniform go on food stamps because they’re not adequately being taken care of by the Army. It’s wrong on both counts.”
Some Democratic lawmakers also got their heads scratching, with New York Democrat Rep. Ritchie Torres calling the report “outrageous.”
SNAP, a benefit for low-income Americans, is a program for which “service members and their families may be eligible,” according to a guidance released by the U.S. Army. It is one of several options being discussed as part of the Army’s Financial Readiness Program.
