HR5129-119

What This Bill Does

The Closing the Meal Gap Act makes three major SNAP benefit changes. First, it replaces the thrifty food plan with the low-cost food plan as the basis for SNAP allotments. The low-cost plan is defined around a four-person family with two adults ages 19 to 50 and children ages 6 to 8 and 9 to 11; USDA must reevaluate and publish market baskets by December 31, 2029 and every five years after based on food prices, composition data, consumption patterns, and dietary guidance. USDA must adjust for household size, Hawaii, urban Alaska, rural Alaska, and annual June food costs, and the benefit proviso changes from 8 percent to 10 percent. Second, it creates a standard medical expense deduction for elderly or disabled SNAP members: $140 for fiscal year 2023, then indexed to CPI-U Medical Care, with higher state deductions allowed when they meet cost-neutrality standards. Third, it strikes the SNAP section 6(o) time limit for able-bodied adults without dependents and makes related conforming changes to SNAP employment and training, work opportunity tax credit, and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act provisions. It also updates commodity assistance formulas, including a fiscal year 2023 amount that adds $35,000,000.

Who Benefits and How

SNAP households benefit because using the low-cost food plan generally raises the benefit basis above the thrifty food plan. Elderly SNAP members benefit from a standard medical expense deduction that can reduce countable income. Disabled SNAP members benefit from the same medical deduction and indexed annual updates. Able-bodied adults without dependents benefit because the SNAP time limit in section 6(o) is eliminated. Hawaii and Alaska SNAP households benefit from explicit cost adjustments for higher food costs.

Who Bears the Burden and How

USDA Food and Nutrition Service staff must rebuild benefit calculations, publish market baskets, update deductions, and administer conforming rules. State SNAP agencies must change eligibility systems for the low-cost food plan, medical deduction, and time-limit repeal. Federal taxpayers bear higher SNAP and commodity assistance costs if benefits and eligibility expand. Workforce program administrators must adjust references tied to the repealed SNAP time limit.

Key Provisions

• Replaces the thrifty food plan with the low-cost food plan for SNAP allotments.
• Requires USDA market basket reevaluation by December 31, 2029 and every five years after.
• Provides Hawaii, urban Alaska, rural Alaska, household-size, and annual food-cost adjustments.
• Creates a $140 fiscal year 2023 standard medical deduction indexed to CPI-U Medical Care.
• Repeals the SNAP able-bodied adult time limit in section 6(o).
• Adds $35,000,000 in the fiscal year 2023 commodity formula update.