119th CONGRESS 1st Session
To help individuals receiving assistance under the supplemental nutrition assistance program in obtaining self-sufficiency, to provide information on total spending on means-tested welfare programs, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES · March 27, 2025 · Sponsor: Mr. Brecheen
This Act may be cited as the SNAP Reform and Upward Mobility Act of 2025.
The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
- (a) Definitions
- In this section:
- The term
Federal benefit means a benefit, refundable tax credit, or other form of assistance provided under any of the following programs:
- The term
resource unit means all co-resident individuals who are related by birth, marriage, or adoption, plus any co-resident unrelated children, foster children, and unmarried partners and their relatives.
- The term
market income means individual income from the following:
- The term
entitlement and other income means income from the following:
- The term
entitlement and earned unit income means the sum of all market income and entitlement and other income.
- The term
income tax data means return information, as such term is defined under of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. section 6103(b)(2)
- The term
administering agency means a State or Federal agency responsible for administering a Federal benefit.
- The term
total resource unit income means, with respect to a resource unit, an amount equal to—
- The term
earned resource unit income means, with respect to a resource unit, all market income attributable to members of the unit.
- The term
personally identifiable information means any information that identifies an individual or could reasonably be used to identify an individual that is—
- The term
Director means the Director of the Bureau of the Census.
- (b) Verification of data collected in the Annual Social and Economic Supplement to the Current Population Survey
- (1) In general
- Beginning in fiscal year 2025, in order to more accurately determine the extent of poverty in the United States and the anti-poverty effectiveness of Federal benefit programs, the Director shall collect, in addition to the data collected under the Annual Social and Economic Supplement to the Current Population Survey, data from the appropriate administering agencies related to the following:
- Participation in any Federal benefit program and the monetary or cash equivalent value of such benefit for an individual, where possible, and otherwise for resource units or households.
- The total amount of market income for individuals.
- The total amount of entitlement and other income for individuals.
- Payment of income taxes and payroll taxes for individuals.
- Total resource unit income.
- Total earned resource unit income.
- Any other information about benefits or income received by individuals that the Director determines necessary to carry out this section and that is not included in the data relating to participation in Federal benefit programs or market income for individuals.
- (a) Establishment
- There is established within the United States Census Bureau a commission, to be known as the (referred to in this section as the ).
Commission on Valuation of Federal Benefits Commission
- (b) Composition
- (1) In general
- The Commission shall be composed of 8 members, of whom—
- 2 members shall be appointed by the majority leader of the Senate;
- 2 members shall be appointed by the minority leader of the Senate;
- 2 members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and
- 2 members shall be appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives.
- (2) Co-chairs
- Of the members of the Commission—
- 1 co-chair shall be designated by the majority leader of the Senate; and
- 1 co-chair shall be designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
- (3) Qualifications
- Each member appointed to the Commission shall have experience in—
- quantitative policy research; and
- welfare or poverty studies.
- (c) Initial meeting
- Not later than 60 days after the date on which the last member is appointed under subsection (b), the Commission shall hold an initial meeting.
- (d) Quorum
- Six members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum.
- (e) No proxy voting
- Proxy voting by members of the Commission shall be prohibited.
- (f) Staff
- The Director of the Census Bureau shall appoint an executive director of the Commission.
- (g) Travel expenses
- Members of the Commission shall serve without pay, but shall receive travel expenses in accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States Code.
- (h) Duties of commission
- (1) Recommendations
- (A) In general
- The Commission shall produce recommendations for the valuation of Federal benefits listed under section 101(a)(1) for the purpose of United States Census Bureau estimates of the Federal Poverty Level, including non-cash benefits.
- (2) Report
- (A) In general
- Not later than 270 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to Congress a report of the recommendations required under paragraph (1), including a detailed statement of methodology and reasoning behind recommendations.
- (B) Public availability
- The report required by subparagraph (A) shall be made available on an internet website of the United States Government that is available to the public.
Not later than January 1, 2028, and every 2 years thereafter, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report that compares the poverty rates and related measures calculated under the Annual Social and Economic Supplement to the Current Population Survey with the poverty rates and related measures calculated using the data collected under section 101(b)(1).
Nothing in this title shall be construed to affect the eligibility of an individual or household for a Federal benefit.
- (a) Declaration of policy
- Section 2 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 () is amended by adding at the end the following: .
Congress further finds that it should also be the purpose of the supplemental nutrition assistance program to increase employment, to encourage healthy marriage, and to promote prosperous self-sufficiency, which means the ability of households to maintain an income above the poverty level without services and benefits from the Federal Government. 7 U.S.C. 2011
- Declaration of policy
- (b) Definition of food
- Section 3(k) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 () is amended by striking
means (1)and inserting means the following foods, food products, meals, and other items, only if the food, food product, meal, or other item is essential, as determined by the Secretary: (1). 7 U.S.C. 2012(k)
- (c) General work requirements
- Section 6(d)(1)(A) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 () is amended, in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking and inserting . 7 U.S.C. 2015(d)(1)(A)
- (d) Hour-Based work requirement
- Section 6(o) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 () is amended— 7 U.S.C. 2015(o)
- in paragraph (1)(C), by striking
other than a supervised job search program or job search training programand inserting including an in-person supervised job search program;
- in paragraph (3)(A)(ii)(III), by striking and inserting ;
- in paragraph (4)(A)—
- in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking
areaand inserting county or county equivalent;
- in clause (i), by striking
orand inserting and; and
- (ii) is not located within a labor market area, as determined by data published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, that has an unemployment rate of over 10 percent.
- by striking clause (ii) and inserting the following:
- in paragraph (6)(D), by striking
15 percentand inserting 5 percent;
- by redesignating paragraph (7) as paragraph (8);
- (7) Work or work preparation hours requirement for married couples with children
- The total combined number of hours of work or work preparation activities under subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (2) for both spouses in a married couple household with 1 or more children over the age of 6 shall not be greater than the total number of hours required under those subparagraphs for a single head of household.
- by inserting after paragraph (6) the following:
- (9) Minimum wage rule
- The limitation under subsection (d)(4)(F)(i) shall not apply to any work requirement, program, or activity required under this subsection.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to Congress a report, using data from the most recent 5 fiscal years available, detailing the outcomes of beneficiaries of the supplemental nutrition assistance program established under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 () (referred to in this section as ) who participate in employment and training programs (as defined in section 6(d)(4)(B) of that Act ()) for each of those 5 years that includes the following information: SNAP 7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.; 7 U.S.C. 2015(d)(4)(B)
- The number and percentage of SNAP beneficiaries in each State who participated in an employment and training program compared to the number and percentage of SNAP beneficiaries in each State who did not participate in an employment and training program.
- The number and percentage of SNAP beneficiaries in each State who obtained a job while participating in an employment and training program compared to the number and percentage of SNAP beneficiaries in each State who obtained a job but did not participate in an employment and training program.
- The number and percentage of SNAP beneficiaries in each State who retained a job for 6 months, 1 year, and 5 years after completing an employment and training program and obtaining a job compared to the number and percentage of SNAP beneficiaries in each State who retained a job for 6 months, 1 year, and 5 years but did not complete an employment and training program prior to obtaining that job.
- The increase or decrease in wages, if applicable, for SNAP beneficiaries in each State who retained a job for 6 months, 1 year, and 5 years after completing an employment and training program and obtaining a job compared to the increase or decrease in wages, if applicable, for SNAP beneficiaries in each State who retained a job for 6 months, 1 year, and 5 years but did not complete an employment and training program prior to obtaining that job.
- The number and percentage of SNAP beneficiaries who—
- previously participated in an employment and training program;
- after that participation, obtained a job or stopped receiving SNAP benefits; and
- after regaining eligibility for SNAP benefits, reentered an employment or training program.
- The average duration that SNAP beneficiaries in each State participated in an employment and training program.
- A breakdown of—
- the types of employment and training activities offered by the employment and training program of each State; and
- the types of jobs that States are preparing employment and training program participants to obtain.
Section 4 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 () is amended by adding at the end the following: 7 U.S.C. 2013
- (d) State matching funds
- (1) In general
- Each State that participates in the supplemental nutrition assistance program shall, as a condition of participation, be required to contribute matching funds in an amount equal to, of the funds received from the Secretary by the State for program administration—
- for fiscal year 2025, 10 percent;
- for fiscal year 2026, 15 percent;
- for fiscal year 2027, 20 percent;
- for fiscal year 2028, 25 percent;
- for fiscal year 2029, 30 percent;
- for fiscal year 2030, 35 percent;
- for fiscal year 2031, 40 percent;
- for fiscal year 2032, 45 percent; and
- for fiscal year 2033 and each fiscal year thereafter, 50 percent.
- (2) Additional contributions permitted
- Nothing in this subsection prevents a State from contributing matching funds in an amount greater than the amount required under paragraph (1) for the applicable fiscal year.
Section 5(a) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 () is amended— 7 U.S.C. 2014(a)
- Eligibility
- in the second sentence, by inserting after ; and
- by inserting after the second sentence the following: .
Section 6(d) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 () is amended by adding at the end the following: 7 U.S.C. 2015(d)
- (5) Compliance with fraud investigations
- To be eligible to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program, an individual shall cooperate with any investigation into fraud under that program, including full participation in any—
- meeting requested by fraud investigators; and
- administrative hearing.
Section 7(h) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 () is amended by adding at the end the following: 7 U.S.C. 2016(h)
- (15) Authorized users
- (A) In general
- A State agency shall register—
- (i) at least 1 member of a household issued an EBT card as an authorized user of the card; and
- (ii) an authorized representative of a household as an authorized user of the EBT card issued to the household.
- (B) Limit
- Not more than 5 individuals shall be registered as authorized users, including the authorized representative of a household, on an EBT card.
- (C) Unauthorized use
- (i) An EBT card shall not be used by any individual who is not an authorized user of the EBT card.
- (ii) If an EBT card has been used 2 times by an unauthorized user of the EBT card, the head of the household to which the EBT card is issued shall be required to review program rights and responsibilities with personnel of the State agency.
- (iii) If an EBT card has been used 4 times by an unauthorized user of the EBT card, the State agency shall suspend benefits for the household to which the EBT card is issued for 1 month.
- (iv) If an EBT card has been used 6 times by an unauthorized user of the EBT card, the State agency shall suspend benefits for the household to which the EBT card is issued for 3 months.
- (v) If an EBT card has been used 7 or more times by an unauthorized user of the EBT card, the State agency shall suspend benefits for the household to which the EBT card is issued for 1 month per unauthorized use.
- (vi) Any action taken under clauses (ii) through (v) shall be consistent with sections 6(b) and 11(e)(10), as applicable.
Section 9(a)(2)(A) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 () is amended by striking ; andand inserting , which, in the case of a retail food store or wholesale food concern for which there is a medium risk or high risk of fraudulent transactions, as determined by the fraud detection system of the Food and Nutrition Service, shall be annually; and. 7 U.S.C. 2018(a)(2)(A)
Section 11 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 () is amended by adding at the end the following: 7 U.S.C. 2020
- (y) State activity reports
- The Secretary shall publish for each fiscal year a report describing the activity of each State in the supplemental nutrition assistance program, which shall contain, for the applicable fiscal year, substantially the same information as is contained in the report published by the Food and Nutrition Service entitled and published September 2017.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program State Activity Report Fiscal Year 2016
Section 12 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 () is amended by adding at the end the following: 7 U.S.C. 2021
- (j) Disqualification by State agency
- Disqualification by State agency
- (1) In general
- Except as provided in paragraph (4), a State agency shall permanently disqualify from participation in the supplemental nutrition assistance program an approved retail food store or wholesale food concern convicted of—
- trafficking in food instruments (including any voucher, draft, check, or access device (including an electronic benefit transfer card or personal identification number) issued in lieu of a food instrument under this Act); or
- selling firearms, ammunition, explosives, or controlled substances (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act ()) in exchange for food instruments (including any item described in subparagraph (A) issued in lieu of a food instrument under this Act). 21 U.S.C. 802
- (2) Notice of disqualification
- The State agency shall—
- provide the approved retail food store or wholesale food concern with notification of the disqualification; and
- make the disqualification effective on the date of receipt of the notice of disqualification.
- (3) Prohibition of receipt of lost revenues
- A retail food store or wholesale food concern shall not be entitled to receive any compensation for revenues lost as a result of disqualification under this subsection.
- (4) Exceptions in lieu of disqualification
- (A) In general
- A State agency may permit a retail food store or wholesale food concern that, but for this paragraph, would be disqualified under paragraph (1), to continue to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program if the State agency determines, in its sole discretion, that—
- (i) disqualification of the retail food store or wholesale food concern, as applicable, would cause hardship to participants in the supplemental nutrition assistance program; or
- (ii)
- the retail food store or wholesale food concern had, at the time of the violation under paragraph (1), an effective policy and program in effect to prevent violations described in paragraph (1); and
- the ownership of the retail food store or wholesale food concern was not aware of, did not approve of, and was not involved in the conduct of the violation.
- (B) Civil penalty
- If a State agency under subparagraph (A) permits a retail food store or wholesale food concern to continue to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program in lieu of disqualification, the State agency shall assess a civil penalty in an amount determined by the State agency, except that—
- (i) the amount of the civil penalty shall not exceed $10,000 for each violation; and
- (ii) the amount of civil penalties imposed for violations investigated as part of a single investigation may not exceed $40,000.
Section 16(a) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 () is amended— 7 U.S.C. 2025(a)
- in the second sentence, by striking and inserting the following:
- in the first sentence—
- by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (9) as subparagraphs (A) through (I), respectively; and
- by striking and inserting the following: “section 17(n).
- (2) Administration on Indian reservations and in Native villages
- in paragraph (2) (as so designated)—
- in subparagraph (A), by striking
35 percentand inserting 50 percent; and
- (B) Use of retained amounts for fraud investigations
- The value of funds or allotments recovered or collected pursuant to sections 6(b) and 13(c) that are retained by a State under subparagraph (A) in excess of 35 percent shall be used by the State for investigations of fraud in the supplemental nutrition assistance program.
- by adding at the end the following:
- by striking the subsection designation and all that follows through in the matter preceding paragraph (2) (as so designated) and inserting the following:
- (a) Administrative cost-Sharing