The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) is actively supporting several key bills aimed at enhancing food security and nutrition programs across the United States. These legislative priorities include:

SNAP

Improving Access to Nutrition Act of 2023 (H.R.1510)

Ends the three-month time limit on SNAP benefits for certain unemployed and underemployed adults who do not document sufficient hours of work each month.

Reps. Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Alma Adams (D-NC) introduced March 9, 2023. Check cosponsors in the House.

FRAC H.R.1510 fact sheet. Use FRAC’s customizable email template to urge your Members to cosponsor the bill. Press release from Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC).

SNAP Access for Medically Vulnerable Children Act of 2023 (H.R.706)

Allows households with children with chronic medical conditions to deduct allowable medical expenses.

Rep. Shontel Brown (D-OH) introduced on February 1, 2023. Check cosponsors in the House.

Opportunity to Address College Hunger Act (H.R.309)

Notifies a student receiving work-study of eligibility for SNAP.

Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) introduced on January 12, 2023. Check cosponsors in the House.

SNAP Theft Protection Act of 2023 (H.R.205)

Directs USDA to establish criteria for state agencies to identify SNAP benefits stolen by identity theft or skimming.

Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) introduced on January 9, 2023. Check cosponsors in the House.

Puerto Rico Nutrition Assistance Fairness Act of 2023 (S.949** / H.R.253)**

Enables Puerto Rico to participate as a state in SNAP.

Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González-Colón introduced in the House on January 10, 2023. Check cosponsors in the House. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced in the Senate on March 22, 2023. Check to see cosponsors in the Senate.

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Closing the Meal Gap Act (H.R. 3037/S.1336)

Enhances SNAP benefits by updating allotment calculations and removing caps on deductions.

Improving Access to Nutrition Act (H.R. 1510/S. 2435)

Removes time limits on SNAP eligibility for able-bodied adults without dependents.

Enhance Access to SNAP Act (EATS Act) (H.R. 3183/S.1488)

Simplifies SNAP eligibility for college students.

Hot Foods Act (H.R. 3519/S. 2258)

Allows SNAP benefits for hot, prepared foods.

Lift the Bar Act (H.R. 4170/S.2038)

Restores public program access for lawfully present immigrants.

Restore Act (H.R. 3479/S. 1753)

Repeals the lifetime SNAP ban for individuals with felony drug convictions.

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Child Nutrition

Early Childhood Nutrition Improvement Act (S. 4002** / H.R.6707)**

Allows an additional meal or snack for children in a full day of care, which improves the adequacy of benefits.

Makes the CACFP payment rate-setting more fair by calculating family child care payments the same as child care center payment.

Streamlines participation for parents and providers by moving to annual eligibility for proprietary child care centers.

Makes improvements to the serious deficiency process.

Establishes an Advisory Committee on CACFP paperwork.

Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), John Fetterman (D-PA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Jack Reed (D-RI), introduced on March 20, 2024. Check to see current cosponsors in the Senate. Reps. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) and Marcus Molinaro (R-NY) introduced on October 26, 2023. Check to see current cosponsors in the House.

Resources: Factsheet and press release from Senator Casey (D-PA).

The Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act (House Version) (H.R.5569)

Adds 10 cents reimbursement to eligible meals and snacks in child care, Head Start, at-risk after-school and adult care CACFP.

Eliminates the two-tier system for family child care in CACFP.

Ensures a family child care provider can submit for reimbursement for her own child’s meals and snacks if the child is in her child care program.

Reps. Greg Landsman (D-OH) and Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) introduced on September 19, 2023. Check to see current cosponsors in the House.

The Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act (Senate Version) (S.3294)

Adds 10 cents reimbursement to eligible meals and snacks in child care, Head Start, at-risk after-school and adult care CACFP.

Eliminates the two-tier system for family child care in CACFP.

Ensures a family child care provider can submit for reimbursement for her own child’s meals and snacks if the child is in her child care program.

Makes the CACFP payment rate-setting more fair by calculating family child care payments the same as child care center payment.

Sen. Robert Casey (D-PA) introduced on November 14, 2023. Check to see current cosponsors in the Senate.

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Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act (H.R. 8450)

Reauthorizes child nutrition programs and ensures access to healthy meals for children.

Summer Meals Act (H.R. 783/S. 2003)

Expands access to summer meal programs for children.

Stop Child Hunger Act (H.R. 3519/S. 2258)

Provides summer EBT benefits to families with children eligible for free or reduced-price school meals.

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School Meals

Universal School Meals Programs Act (S.1568/H.R.3204)

Provides free school meals to all students nationwide.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) introduced in the Senate and House on May 11, 2023. Check to see current cosponsors in the House and Senate.

Press release from Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA). Use the FRAC Action Network to urge your Members of Congress to cosponsor this critical legislation. Read FRAC’s fact sheet to learn more.

School Meals Expansion Act (H.R. 2567)

Expands access to free school meals for more students.

Rep. Morgan McGarvey (D-KY) introduced on April 10, 2023. Check to see current cosponsors in the House.

Press release from Rep. Morgan McGarvey (D-KY). Read FRAC’s fact sheet to learn more.

No Hungry Kids in School Act (H.R. 3112)

Improves school meal programs to ensure all students have access to nutritious meals.

Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA) introduced on May 5, 2023. Check to see current cosponsors in the House.

Press release from Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA). Read FRAC’s fact sheet to learn more.

Expanding Access to School Meals Act (H.R. 3113)

Increases the number of schools participating in the Community Eligibility Provision.

Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA) introduced on May 5, 2023. Check to see current cosponsors in the House.

Press release from Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA).-,Rep.,income%20families%20get%20nutritious%20food. “‌”). Read FRAC’s fact sheet to learn more.

Healthy Meals Help Kids Learn Act (H.R.1269)

Permanently increases federal reimbursement for school meals.

Representative Jim McGovern (D-MA) introduced on March 1, 2023. Check to see current cosponsors in the House.

Press release from Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA).

Stop Child Hunger Act of 2023 (H.R.4379)

Strengthens and expands the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (Summer EBT) program.

Press release from Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT). Read FRAC’s fact sheet to learn more.

The School Hunger Elimination Act

Increases federal funding for community eligibility schools, creates a statewide community eligibility option, improves direct certification, and provides retroactive reimbursement for meals served to children who are certified for free or reduced price meals later in the school year.

Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) introduced on June 12, 2024.

One-pager from Sen. Casey | Press release from Sen. Casey.

The Nutrition Red Tape Reduction Act

permanently lowers the threshold for schools to participate in community eligibility to 25 percent Identified Student Percentage, ensuring that thousands of schools are eligible to participate.

Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) introduced on June 12, 2024.

Press release from Sen. Casey.

Food Security

Food Security Improvement Act (H.R. 6299/S. 3354)

Strengthens food security infrastructure by investing in local food systems and improving emergency food assistance.

Wages

Raise the Wage Act of 2023 (S.2488** / H.R.4889)**

Raises the federal minimum wage to $17 per hour by 2028. Note: The current minimum has been at $7.25 since 2009.

Phases out employers’ ability to pay sub-minimum wages to tipped workers, workers with disabilities, and teenagers.

Indexes future increases in the federal minimum wage to median wage growth to ensure wages keep pace.

Sens. Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) introduced on July 25, 2023. Check to see current cosponsors in the Senate and House.

Factsheet and press release from House Education and the Workforce Committee Democrats. Press release and factsheet from Sen. Sanders. Economic Policy Institute factsheet.

Worker Relief and Credit Reform Act (H.R.1468)

Modifies the Earned Income Tax Credit to (1) make the credit available to certain students, (2) modify the age requirement for the credit, (3) include caregiving and learning as compensated work for purposes of the credit, (4) revise the definition of qualifying dependents eligible for the credit, and (5) increase the credit for certain unmarried individuals with two or more qualifying children.

Requires the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to establish a program for making direct advance monthly payments of the credit to eligible taxpayers.

Directs the IRS to establish a program to educate taxpayers about the availability of the earned income tax credit and the advance monthly payments of such credit.

Factsheet and Press release from Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI). Press release from Sen. Van Hollen.

Housing

Family Stability and Opportunity Vouchers Act (S.1257** / H.R.3776)**

Creates an additional 250,000 housing vouchers specifically designed for low-income families with young children to expand their access to neighborhoods of opportunity with high-performing schools, strong job prospects, and other resources.

Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Todd Young (R-IN) reintroduced in the Senate on April 25, 2023. Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO) introduced the Act in the House on May 31, 2023.

Opportunity Starts at Home Factsheet.