Media Contact:  

Jordan Baker                                                                       
jbaker@frac.org
202-640-1118 

Statement attributable to Crystal FitzSimons, Interim President, Food Research & Action Center (FRAC)

WASHINGTON, November 18, 2024 — Today, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) released the text of a long-awaited Farm Bill aimed at strengthening benefit adequacy and equitable access for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Protecting and strengthening SNAP is critical to ensuring that the more than 42 million people who struggle against poverty-related hunger in this country can better afford to put food on the table and get the nutrition they need. FRAC is pleased the proposed legislation aligns with many of the anti-hunger community’s SNAP priorities for the Farm Bill, and we commend Chairwoman Stabenow for continuing her unwavering support to safeguard the much-needed Thrifty Food Plan future benefit adjustment.  

The proposal would also: 

  • repeal the lifetime federal ban on individuals with felony drug convictions from receiving SNAP; 
  • disregard income from work programs and employment and training programs from SNAP calculations, ensuring participants can prepare for a career without worrying about where their next meal will come from; 
  • codify the Elderly Simplified Assistance Project to help older adults maintain SNAP benefits for 36 months without having to recertify every six or 12 months; 
  • increase eligibility for servicemembers by excluding the military basic allowance for housing from income for purposes of eligibility for SNAP; 
  • help address college hunger by removing restrictions to program participation for former foster youth; 
  • study the impact of allowing hot foods to be purchased with SNAP benefits;  
  • authorize a path for Puerto Rico to transition from the block grant Nutrition Assistance Program to SNAP;  
  • support Tribal sovereignty by making the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) pilot program permanent, expanding Tribal authority to administer FDPIR and The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), and providing procurement flexibilities; 
  • allow households that participate in FDPIR to also participate in SNAP; 
  • improve the security of Electronic Benefit Transfer cards to prevent theft and to reimburse households who have had their SNAP benefits stolen; and 
  • increase funding for TEFAP and the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP). 

While the bill takes a critical step forward in addressing the inclusion of hot foods, policy must be enacted to make this a permanent reality. Current SNAP rules prohibit the use of SNAP benefits to purchase hot foods from retailers, creating barriers for participants that lack the time or resources to prepare a meal from scratch.  

Additionally, it is essential that the included text regarding replacement benefits due to benefit theft are part of any Farm Bill extension or reauthorization and expanded to fully replace stolen benefits.   

SNAP is the first line of defense to address our nation’s deepening hunger crisis. It supports families and local economies: Each dollar in federally funded SNAP benefits generates between $1.50 and $1.80 in economic activity during a slow economy. Despite its many strengths, the average benefit is only $6 per person per day.

We believe the Chairwoman’s bill is an essential step in mitigating hunger by investing in SNAP and protecting the program from cuts. Her bill offers the path for Congress to get a strong, comprehensive Farm Bill done.

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The Food Research & Action Center improves the nutrition, health, and well-being of people struggling against poverty-related hunger in the United States through advocacy, partnerships, and by advancing bold and equitable policy solutions. To learn more, visit FRAC.org and follow us on LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.