Ensuring Emergency Food Security Act

Ensuring Emergency Food Security Act

This bill expands benefits and eligibility under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) which is administered by the Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Specifically, the bill

• prohibits any federal funding (including fees) from being used to decrease program benefits or impact program eligibility under SNAP;
• temporarily increases the value of SNAP benefits through FY2020;
• prohibits USDA from reducing the value of the maximum allotments, minimum allotments or consolidated block grants for Puerto Rico and American Samoa below the level in effect for FY2020 as a result of such increase;
• temporarily suspends work requirements through FY2022 under SNAP, allowing participants who would have lost eligibility due to such requirements to continue to receive SNAP benefits;
• directs state agencies, beginning on October 1, 2022, to disregard any period during which an individual received SNAP benefits prior to FY2022, for purposes of referring such individual to an employment and training program; and
• expands the food distribution program on Indian reservations for costs relating to facility improvements and equipment upgrades.