All food stamp benefits to be issued electronically

摘要

The Food Stamp Program is the Nation's largest domestic food-assistance program, serving about 1 in 11 Americans each month in 1997. In the past, nearly all food stamp participants received their monthly benefits as paper coupons to redeem for food at authorized retail foodstores (see box on the Food Stamp Program). However, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 requires that by October 1, 2002, all States deliver food stamp benefits through an electronic benefits transfer (EBT) system. About 40 percent of all food stamp benefits are now delivered through EBT, already operating in 30 States.