Bill > S561

This bill amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to refine and improve the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by establishing more specific guidelines for food eligibility. The bill requires the Secretary of Agriculture to designate, within 180 days of enactment, specific foods and food products that can be purchased through SNAP benefits, with a focus on nutritional value. When making these designations, the Secretary must consider foods that address nutrient deficiencies in the U.S. population, promote health, and reflect public health concerns and cultural eating patterns. The bill explicitly excludes certain items from SNAP eligibility, such as alcoholic beverages, tobacco, soft drinks, candy, and prepared desserts. The Secretary is required to periodically review (at least every few years) the designated foods using the most recent scientific knowledge, and can update the list to reflect evolving nutrition science and health needs. Additionally, the bill allows state agencies to substitute designated foods with culturally equivalent alternatives, with the Secretary's approval, to ensure the program remains flexible and responsive to diverse dietary practices. The overall goal is to make SNAP a more health-conscious and nutritionally strategic food assistance program.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/561/all-info