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A plan to add work requirements for the SNAP food assistance program -- still commonly called food stamps -- was cut out of a congressional deal this week, despite support from several local Congress members.
Both chambers of Congress have been sparring over their versions of a new farm bill, the periodic pieces of legislation that allow spending on agricultural programs. One of its key provisions is funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, which allows state-level programs like Pennsylvania's Access to provide food money for low-income people.
SNAP was set for a possible change this summer, when the Republican-dominated House passed a farm bill, 213-211, that would impose new work requirements on those getting aid. The change follows a series of GOP proposals, at both the federal and state level, to tie Medicaid and other government programs to work.
Outgoing Rep. Bill Shuster, R-9th District, and Rep. Glenn "GT" Thompson, R-5th District, voted for the farm bill in June. Rep. Keith Rothfus, R-12th District, who has been pushed out of the House by Democrat Connor Lamb after his home district was redrawn, voted against the measure.
In a press release announcing his vote at the time, Shuster mentioned "significant reforms" to SNAP but reserved his praise for specific farm programs.
In Pennsylvania, SNAP is used by more than 1.8 million people, or 14 percent of the state population, according to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. The state received $2.67 billion in funding for the benefits, which equaled an average of $121 per month for those using it.
The state imposes work rules on able-bodied adults without dependents, but imposes fewer restrictions on families.
While House Republicans appeared set to add work requirements, their Senate colleagues appeared less enthusiastic. The chamber passed its own bill this summer without the work rules, setting the stage for a long deal-making process.
The first fruits of that process were revealed last week, when lawmakers told Washington reporters they plan to keep food benefits in their current form. While a formal deal has not been reached, negotiators said "we have an agreement" on key points, Politico reported.
Bush death prompts Pa. tributes
Within hours of the announcement that former President George H.W. Bush had died late Friday, Pennsylvania's highest-ranking political figures in both parties paid tribute.
"President George H.W. Bush was a kind and gentle man who dedicated his life to service, and he will be greatly missed," Gov. Tom Wolf said of the 41st president, who died in Texas at the age of 94. "A decorated war hero and career public servant with extensive credentials, President Bush protected and brought honor to America."
The state's senators, Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., and Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., both addressed Bush's political legacy and his politically powerful family.
"Today, our nation mourns the loss of President George H.W. Bush and reflects on his lifetime of service," Casey said. "From his time in uniform to his days in Congress and ultimately in the White House, President Bush served our country honorably and with distinction for over 40 years."
Toomey -- who, along with Casey, served in Congress during the presidency of Bush's son, George W. Bush -- offered his wishes to the family.
"President George H.W. Bush was a great American patriot, dedicated public servant, tireless humanitarian and a caring family man," he said.
New body seeks to end district stalemate
Gov. Tom Wolf launched a new phase in the ongoing push for new state legislative districts, weeks after newly drawn federal districts helped remake Pennsylvania's congressional delegation.
The governor's office announced Thursday that it would set up a new commission to study other states' experiences in new redistricting laws. Headed by longtime political figure David Thornburgh, the Pennsylvania Redistricting Reform Commission includes experts and members from both major parties.
"This commission will bring together diverse experts and citizens to explore ways that Pennsylvania could use policies, technology and data to curb gerrymandering and ensure fair maps," Wolf said in a written statement last week.
New congressional districts were imposed by the courts, but elected officials are pushing for a less confrontational process as they seek new maps for the state House and Senate. Past maps have prompted lengthy legal battles, and officials in both parties are looking for a new system that doesn't rely solely on a vote in the partisan General Assembly.
Some states keep nonpartisan bodies of analysts and experts in a bid to avoid gerrymandering -- the process of drawing awkwardly shaped districts that ensure the ruling party keeps an edge each election. Pennsylvania has long had a reputation as one of the nation's most gerrymandered states.
While Wolf's plan includes members of both parties, Republican lawmakers challenged the move as soon as it was announced.
"With no input from the General Assembly, the Governor issued an Executive Order where he turned his back on both the state and federal constitutions and embarked on another go-it-alone strategy," elected GOP leaders said in a joint statement, according to Capitolwire. "This spectacle only serves as a distraction to the work the legislature has been doing to examine the redistricting process in Pennsylvania."
While most in the General Assembly seem to agree that the rules must change, Republicans are loath to give up the legislature's key role in drawing maps. The party easily controls both chambers, despite losses during last month's election.