Enrollment in government stamps rose to an all-time high in July of this year, in part because the United States Department of Agriculture regards food stamps as a highly-effective tactic for stimulating the economy, according to Senate Republicans.

“Each $5 dollars in new SNAP benefits generates almost twice that amount in economic activity for the community,” the USDA says of food stamps, as the Senate Republicans note. “Everyone wins when eligible people take advantage of benefits to which they are entitled.”

In July, when food stamp enrollment hit that record of 46.68 million, the national unemployment rate rose from 8.2 percent to 8.3 percent.