Visit Road to the Farm Bill for FRAC’s Farm Bill priority legislation. Check out FRAC’s Bills We’re Supporting page for additional priorities for families struggling against hunger.
Action Needed: Urge Your Members of Congress to Cosponsor SNAP Priority Legislation in Upcoming Farm Bill
Join advocates from across the country in urging Members of Congress to support the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by cosponsoring anti-hunger priority legislation to be considered in the upcoming Farm Bill.
Action needed: Urge Congress to protect and strengthen SNAP in the upcoming Farm Bill by supporting and cosponsoring the following legislation:
- The Improving Access to Nutrition Act (H.R. 1510/S. 2435) would end harsh and arbitrary time limits on SNAP benefits for certain individuals and allow them to access the food, nutrition, and overall health benefits provided by the program. Bill highlights, House and Senate sponsors.
- The Closing the Meal Gap Act (H.R. 3037/S. 1336) would base SNAP benefit allotments on the more adequate Low-Cost Food Plan, boost SNAP benefits for families with children forced to choose between food and shelter, increase benefits for older adults forced to choose between food and medicine, raise the SNAP minimum monthly benefit, and improve equitable access by extending SNAP to Puerto Rico (replacing the current block-granted Nutrition Assistance Program). Bill highlights, House and Senate cosponsors.
- The Enhance Access to SNAP Act (EATS) (H.R. 3183/S. 1488) would eliminate the barriers that college students face when accessing SNAP. Bill highlights, House and Senate cosponsors.
- The Hot Foods Act (H.R. 3519/S. 2258) would end the prohibition on use of SNAP benefits to purchase hot prepared foods from food retailers. House and Senate cosponsors.
- The Lift the Bar Act (H.R. 4170/S. 2038) would eliminate the five-year bar (waiting period) for legal permanent immigrants to access SNAP and other federal programs. Bill highlights, House and Senate cosponsors.
- The Restore Act (H.R. 3479/S. 1753) would repeal the lifetime federal ban on individuals with felony drug convictions from receiving SNAP. Bill highlights, House and Senate cosponsors.
For more information on engaging your Members of Congress, contact Vijay Das, vdas@frac.org, or Tim Klipp-Lockhart, tklipp-lockhart@frac.org. For information on SNAP, contact Gina Plata-Nino, gplata-nino@frac.org.
Recess Alert: Build Support for SNAP Farm Bill Priorities – Engage with Your Members of Congress at Home
Members of Congress will be home for five weeks this August (congressional schedule here). The recently formed House Democratic Task Force on Agriculture and Nutrition has been meeting with groups (see FRAC’s statement) and discussing Farm Bill priorities. As recommendations and priorities are being analyzed and deliberated, it is important to weigh in with your Members of Congress and urge them to support legislation that strengthens and protects the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Action on House and Senate farm bills is expected to heat up in the Agriculture Committees when Congress returns in September.
Ways to Engage with Your Members
1. New Opportunities and Resources
- The House Democratic Task Force on Agriculture and Nutrition is soliciting written input on your Farm Bill priorities. We have provided a customizable email template to use in your advocacy.
- Share FRAC’s newly revised Farm Bill Priorities — including newly assigned bill numbers — and urge them to cosponsor legislation (below).
2. Schedule meetings now with your Senators and Representatives by contacting their district and/or state staff. Check out these resources and these tips to create a meaningful visit and to press them on priority legislation.
3. Turn that meeting into a site visit. Best to have the “home court advantage.” Check out FRAC’s “Guide to Site Visit Options.”
4. Attend a Farm Bill listening session and share FRAC’s priorities.
On Saturday, July 29 from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. ET, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture and Horticulture, and Congressman Glenn Thompson (PA-15) Chair, House Agriculture Committee, will host a Farm Bill listening session in Connecticut. We encourage advocates in the Northeast region to attend and share your top Farm Bill priorities. RSVP is required by Monday, July 24 by calling 860-223-8412. Farm Bill priorities should be submitted in advance by using the following link: https://tinyurl.com/cr7uzhrm. FRAC’s Road to the Farm Bill webpage outlines our main priorities and resources for the farm bill.
Looking ahead, the Committee is hosting a Listening Session in Freeport, Maine on Monday, July 31. If you are interested in attending and offering comments, click here to register ahead of time. The listening session is open to the public, and the committee will do their best to accommodate all speaking requests.
The Committee is also hosting a listening session at Farmfest in Morgan, MN on August 2nd. If you are interested in attending and offering comments, click here to register ahead of time.
5. Use FRAC’s Social Media Toolkit to connect with Members regarding priority legislation (below).
Updated Priority Legislation for Farm Bill
- H.R. 1510/S. 2435 — Improving Access to Nutrition Act, Reps. Lee (D-CA) and Adams (D-NC), and Sen. Welch (D-VT) and Sen. Gillibrand (D-NY): Ends SNAP’s arbitrary three-month time limit to ensure that all eligible people have access to nutrition assistance and stay healthy. Time limits have increased from 18–49 to 18–55 in the recent Debt Ceiling bill, and it is also more difficult for states to use their waivers. Find out if your Representative or Senator has not yet cosponsored: H.R. 1510 Factsheet, House and Senate Cosponsors. If not, use this link to email your Members directly. Factsheet.
Additional Legislation to Strengthen SNAP
- H.R. 3037/S. 1336 — Closing the Meal Gap Act, Rep. Adams (D-NC) and Sen. Gillibrand (D-NY): Boosts SNAP benefit allotments by utilizing the more adequate Low-Cost Food Plan; authorizes the standard medical deduction for seniors and disabled individuals; eliminates the cap on the Excess Shelter Deduction; eliminates time limits; and expands SNAP benefits for Puerto Rico. House and Senate Cosponsors. Factsheet.
- H.R. 3183/S. 1488 — EATS Act of 2023, Rep. Gomez (D-CA) and Sen. Gillibrand (D-NY): Eliminates the barriers that college students with low incomes face when accessing SNAP. House and Senate Cosponsors. Factsheet. Use the FRAC Action Network to urge your Members of Congress to support this critical legislation.
- H.R. 3519/S. 2258 — The Hot Foods Act (formerly the SNAP Plus Act), Rep. Meng (D-NY): Ends the prohibition on use of SNAP benefits to purchase hot prepared foods from food retailers. House and Senate Cosponsors.
- H.R. 3479/S. 1753 — The Restore Act, Reps. Cohen (D-TN) and Rutherford (R-FL), and Sens. Warnock (D-GA) and Booker (D-NJ): Repeals the lifetime federal ban on individuals with felony drug convictions from receiving SNAP. H.R. 3479/S. 1753. Factsheet; House and Senate Cosponsors.
- H.R. 4170/S. 2038 Lift the Bar Act, Rep. Jayapal (D-WA) and Sen. Hirono (D-HI): Eliminates the five-year bar (waiting period) for legal permanent immigrants to access SNAP and other federal programs. Factsheet. House and Senate Cosponsors.
If you have questions about engaging with your Members of Congress, please contact Vijay Das, vdas@frac.org, or Timothy Klipp-Lockhart, tklipp-lockhart@frac.org, and for questions on SNAP, contact Gina Plata-Nino, gplata-nino@frac.org.
FRAC Statement for the House Democratic Task Force on Agriculture and Nutrition in the 21st Century
Read FRAC’s statement to the House Democratic Task Force on Agriculture and Nutrition in the 21st Century for 2023 Farm Bill recommendations to improve the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and systematically tackle hunger in the United States. Delivered at the Task Force’s 2023 Farm Bill Roundtable on July 13, 2023.
FRAC’s Road to the Farm Bill Resource Center
Visit FRAC’s Road to the Farm Bill page to discover priority SNAP legislation, Farm Bill talking points, critical actions, and much more.
2023 Farm Bill Leave Behind: Congress Must Protect and Strengthen SNAP, TEFAP, and Other Anti-Hunger Programs
SNAP is the cornerstone of the nation’s nutrition and food security safety net, helping to put food on the table for 42 million participants with low incomes each month. Congress should protect SNAP’s structure and funding, and strengthen SNAP. Use this leave behind to inform your Members of Congress about the critical importance of SNAP, TEFAP, and other anti-hunger programs.
FY 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act (‘Omnibus’) Legislative Summary
On December 23, Congress passed the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill to fund the federal government through fiscal year 2023. The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies funding bill, one of 12 subcommittee bills contained in the omnibus spending package, provides $25.5 billion — an increase of $737 million, 3 percent above fiscal year (FY) 2022 — to fund U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs. The committee highlights can be found here and a division-by-division summary of the bill is here.
It is important to note that one offset (funding mechanism) for certain provisions in the legislation was a premature cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Emergency Allotments (EAs). This cut will hasten the hunger cliff for millions of people with low incomes as soon as March 2023 (as opposed to the end of the duration of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency declaration). For more on the SNAP EAs cuts, go to Food Research & Action Center’s statement.
Learn more in FRAC’s full FY 2023 Omnibus Legislative Summary.
Congress Passes Bipartisan, Bicameral Keep Kids Fed Act
On Friday, June 24, 2022, Congress passed the Keep Kids Fed Act (S. 2089), a bipartisan and bicameral bill to help mitigate the impact of the loss of the child nutrition waivers due to expire next Thursday, June 30, 2022. This bill is an important first step that would increase reimbursements to schools and child care centers, support access to summer meals, and streamline access to healthy meals for children in family child care. Learn more in this blog post.
Budget Reconciliation 101
Curious about Budget Reconciliation? Unsure about the process or special rules to look out for? Explore this three-page report that explains what you need to know.
Sign Up for the FRAC Action Network!
Urge your Representatives to support and strengthen the Federal Nutrition Programs. Learn about the latest opportunities for action by signing up for the FRAC Action Network. Hungry people can’t wait.
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The Thrifty Food Plan (TFP), which offers the lowest of the four major food plans the federal government uses, sets the maximum amount of food dollars Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants can receive. Despite a long overdue update of the TFP in 2021, the plan still leaves SNAP participants short of the benefit amounts sufficient for food for the entire month. This research brief explains why SNAP should switch from the TFP model to the more equitable Low-Cost Food Plan to equip participants with fuller plates and improved health and well-being.
Read the research brief - Fact Sheet
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 created a permanent nationwide Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (Summer EBT) Program. Beginning in 2024, states, territories, and Indian Tribal Organizations will be required to cover 50 percent of the Summer EBT administrative expenses from nonfederal sources. Careful planning and preparation by states and territories, and technical assistance by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (USDA FNS), are critical to ensure full implementation of Summer EBT in 2024. Learn more in FRAC’s new one-pager.
Read the one-pager - Fact Sheet
Millions of people who rely on support from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) have seen their benefits drop – in many cases, dramatically. As of March 1, 2023, all Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants have suffered cuts to their benefits each month as the temporary, pandemic-era SNAP boosts known as Emergency Allotments have come to an end. Combined with soaring food prices and skyrocketing heating, transportation, and housing costs, our nation is facing a hunger cliff. Find out how the hunger cliff has affected people in your state using FRAC’s state Hunger Cliff fact sheets.
Find your state's fact sheet - Fact Sheet
Time limits in SNAP harm women, LGBTQIA+ people, and their families. Taking away nutrition assistance will not help women and LGBTQIA+ people find jobs any faster; it will just increase hunger. As a nation, we should fight hunger by helping families struggling to make ends meet put food on the table. Congress should increase SNAP benefits so fewer families have to choose between food and shelter or other necessities and reduce inequities in SNAP that prevent many women, LGBTQIA+ people, and their families from accessing this critical program. SNAP needs to be protected and strengthened.
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School meals have long served as our nation’s first line of defense against childhood hunger. We know that school meals contribute to better academic performance, attendance, and nutrition. However, after the loss of COVID-19 pandemic support that allowed meals to be served for free to all students, many families and school systems are struggling to readjust to the tiered payment system that has historically excluded too many children in need. Last school year (2022–2023) was the first academic year after the pandemic, where schools again had to collect forms and payments for school meals.
Last month began the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. The observation started in 1968 under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15.
During this celebration, it is important to note the disparity that the COVID-19 pandemic and hunger have had on this community. Latinx and Black communities were disproportionately impacted during the pandemic, as hunger rose despite federal pandemic aid.
It is also important to note the amazing Latinx advocates across the country who are leading the charge to end hunger and poverty. The following are 12 advocates we want to highlight.
After receiving thousands of supportive comments, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released their final rule, Community Eligibility Provision: Increasing Options for Schools, which provides 3,000 additional school districts the opportunity to offer nutritious meals to all students at no cost. Since its inception, the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) has been instrumental in eliminating stigma, reducing burdens on families and districts, and ensuring that all students have access to free healthy school meals, no matter their families’ household income level.
The final rule, effective October 26, 2023, lowers the eligibility threshold from 40 percent to 25 percent, thus increasing millions of students’ access to nutritious school meals. Newly eligible schools that want to participate this school year (SY 2023–24) are encouraged to work with their state agency to submit a waiver to USDA.