HR5860-119

What This Bill Does

The SNAP BACK Act is a shutdown-protection bill for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. Beginning in fiscal year 2026 and every later fiscal year, it appropriates whatever sums are necessary to provide uninterrupted SNAP and WIC benefits during any period when interim or full-year USDA appropriations have not been enacted. It also requires the Secretary of Agriculture to obligate and make available all SNAP and WIC funds already appropriated by Congress, bars USDA, OMB, and other executive branch officials from withholding or delaying those funds unless a statute explicitly authorizes it, and requires State SNAP and WIC agencies to keep accepting, processing, and approving eligible applications. Eligible households must receive benefits as soon as funds are available and no later than five days after USDA obligates the money. The bill also requires uninterrupted EBT card operation and benefit loading, forbids enrollment freezes or waiting lists caused by funding delays, and reimburses States or federally recognized Tribes that use emergency State or Tribal funds to cover a federal SNAP or WIC funding lapse.

Who Benefits and How

SNAP households benefit because the bill provides automatic appropriations and bars enrollment freezes during USDA funding lapses. WIC participants benefit because nutrition benefits for women, infants, and children continue even when regular appropriations are delayed. Eligible new SNAP and WIC applicants benefit because State agencies must continue application processing and issue benefits within five days after USDA obligates funds. EBT card users benefit because USDA must keep EBT systems functional and agencies may not suspend, deactivate, or restrict cards due to temporary funding delays. States and federally recognized Tribes benefit because emergency appropriations they use to cover federal gaps must be reimbursed up to the amount they spend.

Who Bears the Burden and How

USDA Food and Nutrition Service staff must obligate funds immediately, maintain program continuity, oversee State processing, and reimburse emergency State or Tribal spending. State SNAP and WIC agencies must keep taking applications, approving eligible households, loading EBT cards, and avoiding freezes or waiting lists during funding uncertainty. OMB and executive branch budget officials lose discretion to delay or impede release of SNAP and WIC funds without express statutory authority. EBT processors and State EBT contractors must maintain uninterrupted card functionality during lapses and administrative delays. Federal taxpayers bear the cost of automatic SNAP and WIC appropriations and reimbursements for emergency State or Tribal spending.

Key Provisions

• Appropriates such sums as necessary for uninterrupted SNAP and WIC benefits during USDA funding lapses in fiscal year 2026 and later.
• Requires USDA to immediately obligate and make available all congressionally appropriated SNAP and WIC funds.
• Prohibits USDA, OMB, and other executive branch officials from withholding, delaying, or impeding fund release unless expressly authorized by statute.
• Requires State SNAP and WIC agencies to keep accepting, processing, and approving eligible applications and to issue benefits within five days after USDA obligates funds.
• Requires uninterrupted EBT operation and prohibits card suspension, deactivation, or restrictions due to temporary funding delays.
• Authorizes reimbursement for States and federally recognized Tribes that use emergency funds to cover federal SNAP or WIC funding gaps.