Bill Summary
The "Emergency Relief for Hungry Families Act of 2025" seeks to amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 by providing specific exemptions for authorized retail food stores during government shutdowns. The key provision allows these stores to offer discounts or incentives to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants without violating the "equal treatment" requirement, which typically ensures that all participants receive equal benefits.
During a "covered period," defined as the time when government funding for the Department of Agriculture has lapsed and SNAP participants are not receiving their full benefits or any benefits at all, stores can implement these incentives without needing prior approval. This legislation aims to mitigate the impact of government shutdowns on food assistance for vulnerable families, ensuring they have access to affordable food options during such crises.
Possible Impacts
The "Emergency Relief for Hungry Families Act of 2025" as described in the legislation could affect people in the following ways:
1. **Increased Access to Discounted Food for SNAP Recipients**: During a government shutdown, SNAP recipients may experience delays or reductions in their benefits. This legislation allows authorized retail food stores to offer discounts or incentives without violating the equal treatment requirement. As a result, eligible families may have better access to affordable food options during critical times when they are not receiving their full benefits.
2. **Support for Retail Food Stores**: By permitting authorized retailers to provide discounts during government shutdowns, this legislation may help sustain local grocery businesses that rely on SNAP transactions. This could lead to increased foot traffic and sales, thereby potentially stabilizing jobs and economic activity in communities that rely on these stores.
3. **Mitigation of Food Insecurity**: The exemption from the equal treatment requirement allows for creative solutions to address food insecurity during government shutdowns. By incentivizing stores to offer discounts, the legislation aims to lessen the impact of benefit disruptions on vulnerable populations, thereby reducing the risk of hunger and improving overall community health outcomes during emergencies.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3132 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 3132
To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to exempt discounting food
from the equal treatment requirement during a government shutdown, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 6, 2025
Mr. Wyden (for himself and Mr. Merkley) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture,
Nutrition, and Forestry
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to exempt discounting food
from the equal treatment requirement during a government shutdown, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Emergency Relief for Hungry Families
Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. EXEMPTION FROM EQUAL TREATMENT REQUIREMENT.
Section 9(j) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C.
2018(j)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(6) Exemption from equal treatment requirement.--
``(A) Definition of covered period.--In this
paragraph, the term `covered period' means a period
during which--
``(i) interim continuing appropriations or
full-year appropriations for a fiscal year for
the Department of Agriculture have lapsed; and
``(ii) participants of the supplemental
nutrition assistance program are not
receiving--
``(I) any benefits; or
``(II) the full amount of benefits.
``(B) Waiver.--Notwithstanding paragraph (2),
during a covered period, an authorized retail food
store may, without seeking a waiver, offer an
incentive, which shall be effective for the entire
duration of the covered period.
``(C) Effect.--An incentive offered by an
authorized retail food store under subparagraph (B)
shall not be deemed a violation of the equal treatment
requirement described in section 278.2(b) of title 7,
Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor
regulation).''.
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