Reps. Garbarino, Meng, Fitzpatrick, Spanberger, And Senator Bennet Renew Bipartisan Push For Snap To Allow Hot Food Purchases
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Andrew R. Garbarno (R-NY-02) joined with Representatives Grace Meng (D-NY-06), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07), and Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) to call for their legislation to be included in the upcoming Farm Bill that would allow the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to cover hot food.
In a letter to the Chair and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees led by Rep. Meng, the lawmakers urged the inclusion of their bipartisan, bicameral Hot Foods Act, which would remove an outdated prohibition that prevents families from using SNAP benefits to purchase hot foods such as prepared rotisserie chickens, hot sandwiches, and soups.
42 million Americans benefit from SNAP, a critical federal poverty reduction program. The Farm Bill is taken up by Congress every five years, making this the Hot Foods Act’s best opportunity until 2028 to ensure SNAP recipients can purchase hot, ready-to-eat meals.
“Since its enactment 60 years ago, SNAP has prohibited the purchase of hot foods,” said the lawmakers in their letter. “While this restriction may have made sense in the 1970s, when most families were cooking their meals at home, it is no longer an accurate reflection of American families’ dietary or lifestyle needs. During natural disasters, USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service grants waivers to affected counties so that SNAP participants can use their benefits to purchase hot foods when they are unable to prepare food at home. Such waivers demonstrate that the restriction on hot foods is an unnecessary red tape of business owners, program administrators, and American families.”
The lawmakers introduced the Hot Foods Act last May. Their correspondence is endorsed by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), GRACE, and National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS). At the time of the introduction, Rep. Garbarino said of the bill, "Right now, a working mom struggling to feed her family is permitted to purchase a cold sandwich for her kids using SNAP benefits but prohibited from buying soup or a rotisserie chicken to ensure they get a hot meal. It makes little sense to continue to impose an arbitrary and outdated restriction on the use of SNAP benefits to purchase hot foods when the ability to do so could make a significant difference to so many families. I am proud to co-lead the Hot Foods Act to implement common sense reforms to the SNAP Program that will ensure Long Island children are able to receive healthy, hot meals using these benefits."
A copy of the letter can be viewed here.