MEALS Act of 2025

This bill aims to protect Summer EBT food benefits for kids from theft, like card skimming and cloning. It tells USDA to issue guidance and set rules so states and covered Tribal organizations use strong, practical security steps that match industry standards. USDA must also work with other agencies, retailers, and EBT contractors to learn how theft happens, improve store equipment to prevent it, standardize reporting, and share what they find. USDA must set replacement procedures within one year and deliver a report within two years on where and how often theft occurs and what’s being done to stop it.

If a family’s Summer EBT benefits are stolen, states and covered Tribal organizations must replace them, under a plan with clear steps for filing and checking claims, documenting replacements, reporting theft data, and letting families appeal denials. Replacements are capped at the lesser of what was stolen that year (not already replaced) or the household’s most recent Summer EBT amount. Current program participants must submit an initial replacement plan within 60 days of enactment and put it into action once approved . An independent review is also required: the Comptroller General must report within two years on security risks, how USDA and others manage them, and recommend improvements.

Key points

• Who is affected: Families using Summer EBT; state agencies and covered Tribal organizations; retailers and EBT contractors.
• What changes: States must replace stolen Summer EBT benefits under USDA-approved procedures; stores may need equipment upgrades; data reporting and security standards are required .
• When: USDA sets replacement rules within one year; states already in the program submit initial plans within 60 days; USDA and the Comptroller General each issue reports within two years .