Pennsylvania, Among Slowest to Process Food Stamp Apps, Ordered to Speed Up

Pennsylvania, already criticized for lagging in processing unemployment checks and home energy assistance claims, has been ordered by the federal government to speed up processing of food stamp applications, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.


The newspaper examined U.S. Department of Agriculture data and found that the commonwealth ranks among the worst in the nation for getting food stamps to the needy within 30 days, as required by federal law.
 

The department, which runs the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, ranks Pennsylvania 39th on a list of 53 that includes the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the paper said.