Sponsors (102)
The bill ensures uninterrupted nutrition assistance for vulnerable individuals and territories during an appropriations lapse, but does so by authorizing potentially open-ended Treasury advances that increase near-term federal spending and create budgetary management and oversight risks.
Low-income households (including residents of Puerto Rico and American Samoa), pregnant people, infants, and young children will continue receiving SNAP and WIC nutrition benefits during an FY2026 appropriations lapse, preventing immediate food insecurity and interruptions in basic nutrition.
State agencies that lawfully operate SNAP and WIC programs will be reimbursed for costs they incur during the lapse, reducing short-term financial strain on state administrators and helping maintain program operations.
Taxpayers face higher near-term federal outlays if the Treasury advances funds to cover SNAP/WIC benefit payments during the lapse, increasing federal spending and potentially adding to deficits.
The bill authorizes open-ended 'such sums as are necessary' authority for Treasury advances, creating limited fiscal oversight and risk of uncapped obligations without a specified funding cap.
If subsequent appropriations are insufficient, USDA or other departments may need to absorb reimbursements charged to later accounts, complicating budget management and potentially shifting costs within federal agencies or programs.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Provides temporary mandatory FY2026 funding to keep SNAP, WIC, and certain nutrition block grants operating during an appropriations lapse and reimburses states for lawful costs back to Sept 30, 2025.
Official title: To appropriate funds to ensure uninterrupted benefits under the supplemental nutrition assistance program and the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children.
Introduced November 7, 2025 by Jahana Hayes · Last progress November 7, 2025
Provides temporary, mandatory FY2026 funding to the Department of Agriculture to keep SNAP, WIC, and certain nutrition block grants operating without interruption if USDA appropriations for FY2026 lapse. It covers missed benefit payments from September 30, 2025 through the date FY2026 USDA appropriations (or a continuing resolution) are enacted, requires reimbursing state agencies that complied with federal law, and charges those expenditures to the applicable future appropriations once enacted.