The Biden Administration has implemented the greatest boost to the food stamp program in its history, raising benefits more than 25% for all 42 million recipients.

The Administration implemented the increase to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program through revised nutritional standards. It complements proposals in the American Families Plan and the $3.5 trillion budget for social programs, but does not require Congressional approval.

The boost is in response to findings that more than 75% of households exhaust their benefits in the first half of the month. Shortages of food lead to more hospital admissions and school suspensions and lower scores for tests for university admission.

The average monthly benefit will rise from $121 per person before the Coronavirus pandemic to $157.

The value of the Thrifty Food Plan, a list of two dozen food groups, was first set in 1962. It has not been expanded since then, except for adjustments for inflation.

In 2018 Congress, with Republican majorities in both chambers, ordered a review of the Plan.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the $79 billion spent each year on the nutritional assistnce program helps “stabilize our democracy”.

We may have a Constitution and a Declaration of Independence, but if we had 42 million Americans who were going hungry, really hungry, they wouldn’t be happy and there would be political instability.