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To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to require that supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits be calculated with reference to the cost of the low-cost food plan as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture, and for other purposes.

USA115th CongressHR-1276| House 
| Updated: 3/23/2017
Alma S. Adams

Alma S. Adams

Democratic Representative

North Carolina

Cosponsors (117)
Dwight Evans (Democratic)Al Lawson (Democratic)Stacey E. Plaskett (Democratic)Donald Norcross (Democratic)Marcy Kaptur (Democratic)Tom O'Halleran (Democratic)John Garamendi (Democratic)Richard M. Nolan (Democratic)Ruben Gallego (Democratic)Jared Huffman (Democratic)Marc A. Veasey (Democratic)Adam B. Schiff (Democratic)Barbara Lee (Democratic)Joseph P. Kennedy (Democratic)Raúl M. Grijalva (Democratic)Mark Pocan (Democratic)Karen Bass (Democratic)James R. Langevin (Democratic)David N. Cicilline (Democratic)Jackie Speier (Democratic)Kathleen M. Rice (Democratic)Sheila Jackson Lee (Democratic)Derek Kilmer (Democratic)Carolyn B. Maloney (Democratic)Sanford D. Bishop (Democratic)C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger (Democratic)Pete Aguilar (Democratic)Juan Vargas (Democratic)Bobby L. Rush (Democratic)Carol Shea-Porter (Democratic)J. Luis Correa (Democratic)Eric Swalwell (Democratic)Michael F. Doyle (Democratic)Niki Tsongas (Democratic)Katherine M. Clark (Democratic)Steve Cohen (Democratic)Tony Cárdenas (Democratic)Susan A. Davis (Democratic)Suzan K. DelBene (Democratic)Scott H. Peters (Democratic)Paul Tonko (Democratic)John P. Sarbanes (Democratic)Rosa L. DeLauro (Democratic)Michael E. Capuano (Democratic)Anthony G. Brown (Democratic)Adriano Espaillat (Democratic)Lucille Roybal-Allard (Democratic)Vicente Gonzalez (Democratic)Ted Lieu (Democratic)Michelle Lujan Grisham (Democratic)Ro Khanna (Democratic)A. Donald McEachin (Democratic)Elizabeth H. Esty (Democratic)Alan S. Lowenthal (Democratic)Sean Patrick Maloney (Democratic)André Carson (Democratic)Joaquin Castro (Democratic)Stephen F. Lynch (Democratic)Mark DeSaulnier (Democratic)Keith Ellison (Democratic)G. K. Butterfield (Democratic)John Conyers (Democratic)Doris O. Matsui (Democratic)Gene Green (Democratic)Gregory W. Meeks (Democratic)David E. Price (Democratic)Hakeem S. Jeffries (Democratic)Marcia L. Fudge (Democratic)Jerrold Nadler (Democratic)Theodore E. Deutch (Democratic)John Lewis (Democratic)Anna G. Eshoo (Democratic)Mark Takano (Democratic)Luis V. Gutierrez (Democratic)Pramila Jayapal (Democratic)Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democratic)Brad Sherman (Democratic)Bonnie Watson Coleman (Democratic)Denny Heck (Democratic)Richard E. Neal (Democratic)Norma J. Torres (Democratic)Salud O. Carbajal (Democratic)Jamie Raskin (Democratic)Elijah E. Cummings (Democratic)Diana DeGette (Democratic)Janice D. Schakowsky (Democratic)James P. McGovern (Democratic)Maxine Waters (Democratic)Adam Smith (Democratic)Nydia M. Velázquez (Democratic)Julia Brownley (Democratic)William R. Keating (Democratic)Eddie Bernice Johnson (Democratic)Yvette D. Clarke (Democratic)Rick Larsen (Democratic)Jose E. Serrano (Democratic)Peter Welch (Democratic)Cedric L. Richmond (Democratic)Earl Blumenauer (Democratic)Charlie Crist (Democratic)Robert A. Brady (Democratic)Seth Moulton (Democratic)Mike Thompson (Democratic)Linda T. Sánchez (Democratic)Zoe Lofgren (Democratic)Nanette Diaz Barragán (Democratic)Frank Pallone (Democratic)Gwen Moore (Democratic)John K. Delaney (Democratic)Jimmy Gomez (Democratic)Grace Meng (Democratic)Alcee L. Hastings (Democratic)Gerald E. Connolly (Democratic)Chellie Pingree (Democratic)Colleen Hanabusa (Democratic)Grace F. Napolitano (Democratic)Judy Chu (Democratic)

Agriculture Committee, Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture Subcommittee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2017 This bill amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to revise the requirements for calculating Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) benefits. The bill increases the minimum SNAP benefit and requires benefits to be calculated using a low-cost food plan. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must determine the requirements for the low-cost food plan, which is the diet required to feed a family of four, consisting of: a man and a woman 19-50 years of age, a child 6-8 years of age, and a child 9-11 years of age. USDA must make adjustments to the plan to account for household size, changes in the cost of the diet, and the costs of food in specified areas. The bill revises the amounts authorized for nutrition assistance block grants for Puerto Rico and American Samoa and requires the amounts to be modified based on adjustments to the low-cost food plan. The bill modifies the requirements for calculating household income to determine SNAP eligibility by: (1) authorizing a standard medical expense deduction for households containing an elderly or disabled member, and (2) eliminating the cap on the deduction for excess shelter expenses. The bill exempts from SNAP work requirements able-bodied adults without dependents who are not offered a position in a SNAP Employment and Training Program.
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Timeline
Mar 1, 2017
Introduced in House
Mar 1, 2017
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Mar 23, 2017
Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition.
Apr 19, 2018

Latest Companion Bill Action

S 115-2723
Introduced in Senate
  • March 1, 2017
    Introduced in House


  • March 1, 2017
    Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.


  • March 23, 2017
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition.


  • April 19, 2018

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    S 115-2723
    Introduced in Senate

Agriculture and Food

Related Bills

  • HR 115-4425: To reform the safety net for farmers and ranchers, enhance soil, water, and habitat conservation, encourage beginning farmers and ranchers, strengthen nutrition for Americans, support agriculture research and innovation, reduce food waste, improve animal welfare, and invest in regional food systems, and for other purposes.
AlaskaAmerican SamoaCaribbean areaEmployment and training programsFood assistance and reliefGuamHawaiiNutrition and dietPoverty and welfare assistancePuerto RicoU.S. territories and protectoratesVirgin Islands

To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to require that supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits be calculated with reference to the cost of the low-cost food plan as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture, and for other purposes.

USA115th CongressHR-1276| House 
| Updated: 3/23/2017
Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2017 This bill amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to revise the requirements for calculating Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) benefits. The bill increases the minimum SNAP benefit and requires benefits to be calculated using a low-cost food plan. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must determine the requirements for the low-cost food plan, which is the diet required to feed a family of four, consisting of: a man and a woman 19-50 years of age, a child 6-8 years of age, and a child 9-11 years of age. USDA must make adjustments to the plan to account for household size, changes in the cost of the diet, and the costs of food in specified areas. The bill revises the amounts authorized for nutrition assistance block grants for Puerto Rico and American Samoa and requires the amounts to be modified based on adjustments to the low-cost food plan. The bill modifies the requirements for calculating household income to determine SNAP eligibility by: (1) authorizing a standard medical expense deduction for households containing an elderly or disabled member, and (2) eliminating the cap on the deduction for excess shelter expenses. The bill exempts from SNAP work requirements able-bodied adults without dependents who are not offered a position in a SNAP Employment and Training Program.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Mar 1, 2017
Introduced in House
Mar 1, 2017
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Mar 23, 2017
Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition.
Apr 19, 2018

Latest Companion Bill Action

S 115-2723
Introduced in Senate
  • March 1, 2017
    Introduced in House


  • March 1, 2017
    Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.


  • March 23, 2017
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition.


  • April 19, 2018

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    S 115-2723
    Introduced in Senate
Alma S. Adams

Alma S. Adams

Democratic Representative

North Carolina

Cosponsors (117)
Dwight Evans (Democratic)Al Lawson (Democratic)Stacey E. Plaskett (Democratic)Donald Norcross (Democratic)Marcy Kaptur (Democratic)Tom O'Halleran (Democratic)John Garamendi (Democratic)Richard M. Nolan (Democratic)Ruben Gallego (Democratic)Jared Huffman (Democratic)Marc A. Veasey (Democratic)Adam B. Schiff (Democratic)Barbara Lee (Democratic)Joseph P. Kennedy (Democratic)Raúl M. Grijalva (Democratic)Mark Pocan (Democratic)Karen Bass (Democratic)James R. Langevin (Democratic)David N. Cicilline (Democratic)Jackie Speier (Democratic)Kathleen M. Rice (Democratic)Sheila Jackson Lee (Democratic)Derek Kilmer (Democratic)Carolyn B. Maloney (Democratic)Sanford D. Bishop (Democratic)C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger (Democratic)Pete Aguilar (Democratic)Juan Vargas (Democratic)Bobby L. Rush (Democratic)Carol Shea-Porter (Democratic)J. Luis Correa (Democratic)Eric Swalwell (Democratic)Michael F. Doyle (Democratic)Niki Tsongas (Democratic)Katherine M. Clark (Democratic)Steve Cohen (Democratic)Tony Cárdenas (Democratic)Susan A. Davis (Democratic)Suzan K. DelBene (Democratic)Scott H. Peters (Democratic)Paul Tonko (Democratic)John P. Sarbanes (Democratic)Rosa L. DeLauro (Democratic)Michael E. Capuano (Democratic)Anthony G. Brown (Democratic)Adriano Espaillat (Democratic)Lucille Roybal-Allard (Democratic)Vicente Gonzalez (Democratic)Ted Lieu (Democratic)Michelle Lujan Grisham (Democratic)Ro Khanna (Democratic)A. Donald McEachin (Democratic)Elizabeth H. Esty (Democratic)Alan S. Lowenthal (Democratic)Sean Patrick Maloney (Democratic)André Carson (Democratic)Joaquin Castro (Democratic)Stephen F. Lynch (Democratic)Mark DeSaulnier (Democratic)Keith Ellison (Democratic)G. K. Butterfield (Democratic)John Conyers (Democratic)Doris O. Matsui (Democratic)Gene Green (Democratic)Gregory W. Meeks (Democratic)David E. Price (Democratic)Hakeem S. Jeffries (Democratic)Marcia L. Fudge (Democratic)Jerrold Nadler (Democratic)Theodore E. Deutch (Democratic)John Lewis (Democratic)Anna G. Eshoo (Democratic)Mark Takano (Democratic)Luis V. Gutierrez (Democratic)Pramila Jayapal (Democratic)Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democratic)Brad Sherman (Democratic)Bonnie Watson Coleman (Democratic)Denny Heck (Democratic)Richard E. Neal (Democratic)Norma J. Torres (Democratic)Salud O. Carbajal (Democratic)Jamie Raskin (Democratic)Elijah E. Cummings (Democratic)Diana DeGette (Democratic)Janice D. Schakowsky (Democratic)James P. McGovern (Democratic)Maxine Waters (Democratic)Adam Smith (Democratic)Nydia M. Velázquez (Democratic)Julia Brownley (Democratic)William R. Keating (Democratic)Eddie Bernice Johnson (Democratic)Yvette D. Clarke (Democratic)Rick Larsen (Democratic)Jose E. Serrano (Democratic)Peter Welch (Democratic)Cedric L. Richmond (Democratic)Earl Blumenauer (Democratic)Charlie Crist (Democratic)Robert A. Brady (Democratic)Seth Moulton (Democratic)Mike Thompson (Democratic)Linda T. Sánchez (Democratic)Zoe Lofgren (Democratic)Nanette Diaz Barragán (Democratic)Frank Pallone (Democratic)Gwen Moore (Democratic)John K. Delaney (Democratic)Jimmy Gomez (Democratic)Grace Meng (Democratic)Alcee L. Hastings (Democratic)Gerald E. Connolly (Democratic)Chellie Pingree (Democratic)Colleen Hanabusa (Democratic)Grace F. Napolitano (Democratic)Judy Chu (Democratic)

Agriculture Committee, Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture Subcommittee

Agriculture and Food

Related Bills

  • HR 115-4425: To reform the safety net for farmers and ranchers, enhance soil, water, and habitat conservation, encourage beginning farmers and ranchers, strengthen nutrition for Americans, support agriculture research and innovation, reduce food waste, improve animal welfare, and invest in regional food systems, and for other purposes.
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
AlaskaAmerican SamoaCaribbean areaEmployment and training programsFood assistance and reliefGuamHawaiiNutrition and dietPoverty and welfare assistancePuerto RicoU.S. territories and protectoratesVirgin Islands