Thread by @NBCNews

The Trump admin. determined that more than 500,000 children would no longer be automatically eligible for free school meals under a proposed overhaul to the food stamp program, but left that figure out of its proposal, according to House Democrats.  nbcnews.to/2Kd5e8L (1/5)

The Dept. of Agriculture wants to crack down on eligibility for food stamps, estimating that 3.1 million Americans would lose benefits under the proposed rule that the agency unveiled on Tuesday. (2/5)

The proposal, however, did not include the USDA’s own estimate that more than 500,000 children would lose automatic eligibility for free school meals under the proposed change, according to Rep. Bobby Scott, chair of the House Cmte. on Education and Labor. (3/5)

Under current law, children whose families receive food stamps are automatically enrolled in a federal program that offers free breakfast and lunch at school. The programs are linked to reduce paperwork and help ensure children receive all of the assistance they qualify for (4/5)

The agency declined to respond to questions about the rule’s impact, saying that it “cannot provide additional information during the public comment period,” a USDA spokesperson told @NBCNews.  nbcnews.to/2Kd5e8L (5/5)

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