An act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14.

This act reduces taxes, reduces or increases spending for various federal programs, increases the statutory debt limit, and otherwise addresses agencies and programs throughout the federal government.

It is known as a reconciliation bill and includes legislation submitted by several congressional committees pursuant to provisions in the FY2025 congressional budget resolution (H Con. Res. 14) that directed the committees to submit legislation to the House or Senate Budget Committee that will increase or decrease the deficit and increase the statutory debt limit by specified amounts. (Reconciliation bills are considered by Congress using expedited legislative procedures that prevent a filibuster and restrict amendments in the Senate.)

TITLE I--COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY

This title addresses a wide range of Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs, including by changing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and extending programs authorized by the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (commonly known as the 2018 farm bill).

Subtitle A--Nutrition

(Sec. 10101) This section prohibits USDA from increasing the cost of the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP) based on a reevaluation of the contents of the TFP (i.e., the market basket of goods). Further, any annual adjustment to the cost of the plan must be based on the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers.

As background, USDA created the TFP (the cost of purchasing a nutritionally adequate low-cost diet), which is used to determine maximum monthly benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). USDA calculates the cost of the TFP each year to account for food price inflation. Maximum allotments are set at the monthly cost of the TFP for a four-person family, adjusted for family size. Under a provision of the 2018 farm bill, USDA must reevaluate the market basket of goods every five years based on current food prices, food composition data, consumption patterns, and dietary guidance.

(Sec. 10102) This section increases the work requirements for certain SNAP recipients who are able-bodied adults.

As background, SNAP recipients who are able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs) currently have work-related requirements in addition to the general SNAP work registration and employment and training requirements. SNAP law limits benefits to ABAWDs to 3 months out of a 36-month period, unless the participant meets the additional work-related requirements.

This section raises the age for those who must meet these additional work requirements to include adults who are 65 years old and younger, whereas these requirements currently apply to adults who are 55 years old and younger.

This section requires parents and household members to meet the additional work requirements (similar to someone who does not have a dependent child) if the child is age 14 and older. Currently, those with a child under the age of 18 are exempt from the requirements.

This section excludes from the additional work requirements SNAP recipients who are Indians, Urban Indians, or California Indians (as these terms are defined by the Indian Health Care Improvement Act).

In addition, the section generally requires homeless individuals, veterans, and certain foster care individuals to meet these work requirements. Foster care individuals are those who are 24 years old or younger and were in foster care on the date of attaining 18 years of age or a higher age. Specifically, this section eliminates the current exclusion from the additional work requirements for these individuals based on this status.

Finally, this section limits the ability of a state to temporarily suspend the three-month time limit for SNAP benefits for ABAWDS in areas with high unemployment or an insufficient number of jobs. Under current law, the ABAWD waiver program allows states to request a temporary waiver of the three-month SNAP benefit limit. States may receive a waiver based on an area having an unemployment rate of over 10% or an insufficient number of jobs.

The section repeals the provision that allows a state waiver if that area does not have a sufficient number of jobs. Further, the section allows Alaska and Hawaii to qualify for the state exemption with an unemployment rate that is at or above 1.5 times the national unemployment rate, effectively lowering the unemployment rate that these states must meet to receive a waiver.

(Sec. 10103) This section generally eliminates the ability of a household to use participation in certain energy assistance programs to determine SNAP income eligibility unless the household includes an elderly or disabled member.

As background, a household may deduct a portion of their housing and utility costs from their income (i.e., the excess shelter expense deduction) when determining SNAP benefits. Under current law, a household that receives a certain level of energy assistance through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) or a similar energy assistance program may deduct a set allowance. This set allowance (i.e., Standard Utility Allowance or SUA) represents low-income household utility costs in the state or local area. Using this allowance makes qualifying for an excess shelter deduction more likely.

This section eliminates the use of the set allowance for households without elderly or disabled members, which may decrease the availability of the excess shelter deduction and reduce the SNAP benefits for these households.

(Sec. 10104) This section prohibits a household from using any internet connection service fees as part of their housing and utility costs for the purposes of determining the size of household SNAP benefits, thus potentially reducing the SNAP benefits for these households.

As background, a household may deduct a portion of their housing and utility costs from their income (i.e., the excess shelter expense deduction) when determining SNAP benefits. Under current law, household expenses may include internet connection service fees.