Sponsors (48)
The bill prevents interruptions in SNAP and WIC and reimburses compliant states during an appropriations lapse—protecting vulnerable people’s nutrition—while increasing near-term federal spending and potentially reducing Congressional urgency around timely appropriations, with reimbursement conditional on state compliance.
Low-income individuals and families (including children) will keep receiving SNAP benefits without interruption and missed SNAP benefits will be paid retroactively to Sept 30, 2025, preventing sudden food loss and permanent benefit loss.
Pregnant people, infants, and young children will continue to receive WIC nutrition services during an appropriations lapse, preserving critical maternal and early-childhood nutrition supports.
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 continuing services.
Taxpayers may face increased federal outlays because Treasury funding is used to continue benefits before Congress enacts appropriations, raising near-term federal spending.
Automatic emergency continuation of benefits could reduce political and procedural pressure on Congress to pass USDA appropriations on time, potentially weakening incentives for timely appropriations.
If a state fails to comply with federal requirements, that state may not be reimbursed for costs it incurred during the lapse, leaving some state governments to absorb expenses.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
If USDA lacks FY2026 appropriations, the Secretary may draw Treasury funds as needed to keep SNAP, WIC, and related block grants running and pay missed benefits back to Sept 30, 2025.
Introduced October 29, 2025 by Ben Ray Luján · Last progress October 29, 2025
Automatically funds SNAP, WIC, and related consolidated block grants for fiscal year 2026 if USDA appropriations lapse. The Secretary of Agriculture is given authority to draw whatever Treasury funds are necessary to continue benefits without interruption, reimburse State agencies for lawful costs, and pay missed benefits dating back to September 30, 2025; funding remains available until FY2026 USDA appropriations are enacted or September 30, 2026.