Sponsors (48)
The bill preserves nutrition assistance for vulnerable people during an appropriations lapse and ensures retroactive payment and reimbursement for compliant states, at the cost of increased federal spending and a risk of weakening Congress's urgency to pass timely USDA appropriations (while noncompliant states may still bear some costs).
Low-income individuals and families (including children) will continue receiving SNAP benefits without interruption during a USDA appropriations lapse, preventing immediate food loss and hunger.
Pregnant people, infants, and young children will continue receiving WIC services during an appropriations lapse, preserving critical nutrition support for vulnerable mothers and babies.
State agencies that complied with federal law will be reimbursed for costs and benefits they provided during the lapse, reducing state budget strain and administrative burden from unpaid emergency actions.
Taxpayers may face increased federal outlays because Treasury funds are used to continue SNAP/WIC benefits before Congress enacts appropriations.
Automatic emergency continuation and reimbursement could reduce political pressure on Congress to pass full USDA appropriations on time, weakening incentives in the appropriations process.
If state agencies failed to comply with federal law during the lapse, they may not be reimbursed, leaving some states to absorb costs and strain state budgets.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Automatically appropriates Treasury funds to continue SNAP, consolidated block grants, and WIC for FY2026 if USDA appropriations lapse, including retroactive payments back to Sept. 30, 2025.
Official title: Appropriate funds to ensure uninterrupted benefits under the supplemental nutrition assistance program and the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children.
Introduced October 29, 2025 by Ben Ray Luján · Last progress October 29, 2025
Automatically funds SNAP and WIC for fiscal year 2026 if Congress fails to pass USDA appropriations. The Agriculture Secretary would draw necessary sums from the Treasury to continue monthly SNAP benefits, consolidated block grants, and WIC benefits (including retroactive payments for missed benefits back to Sept. 30, 2025) until regular appropriations are enacted or Sept. 30, 2026, and reimburse compliant State agencies for costs incurred during the lapse.