A “help wanted” sign in Wildwood, New Jersey, in May 2021. Republicans have been pushing to require people receiving a wide range of government benefits to work, including in the sweeping tax and budget bill the House passed last month. (Christopher Leaman/For the Washington Post) By Rachel Siegel , Daniel Wu and Fenit Nirappil

The Trump administration and congressional Republicans are increasingly turning to work requirements as part of a wide-ranging effort to slash spending on welfare benefits — extending GOP messaging around waste and fraud to argue that many people who get federal aid don’t deserve it.

In late May, the House passed a sweeping tax and budget bill that would impose new work requirements as part of a plan to cut Medicaid. The Agriculture Department is poised to

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