Congress·In Committee·H.R. 7522

House Bill Would End SNAP Work Requirements, Protecting 6.1 Million From Losing Benefits

Improving Access to Nutrition Act of 2026

about 1 month ago·View on Congress.gov

Part of: Congress Moves to Eliminate Work Requirements for Food Assistance

Legislative Progress

House

Senate

President

Law

Key Points

This bill would end the rule that requires some adults to work or participate in job training to receive food assistance. Currently, about 6.1 million people are at risk of losing their benefits if they cannot meet these specific work rules.
The goal is to make sure people have enough to eat, especially those facing challenges like homelessness or health problems. Supporters argue that work requirements do not actually help people get out of poverty and instead create more paperwork for the government.
Research mentioned in the bill shows that for every $1 spent on food assistance, it creates between $1.50 and $1.80 in local economic activity. This means the program helps both the people buying food and the stores selling it.
The bill also points out that these work rules often hit certain groups harder, including Black Americans and families who share resources with relatives. By removing the rules, the bill aims to make the system fairer for everyone.
If this bill passes and is signed into law, the new rules would take effect about six months later. This gives state agencies time to update their systems and notify the people who receive these benefits.

AgricultureLabor EmploymentCivil Rights

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Who is affectedScoreImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

Feb 12, 2026House

Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

Feb 12, 2026

Introduced in House

Related News

2 articles

MPR News·about 1 month ago

Thousands of Minnesotans to be kicked off SNAP due to new eligibility requirements

The newly expanded SNAP work requirements, part of the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' signed by President Trump, are set to kick thousands of Minnesotans off food assistance. The law increases the work requirement age to 64 and eliminates exemptions for veterans and the homeless.

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The Daily Northwestern·26 days ago

Local food assistance organizations prepare as SNAP changes take effect

Food banks are launching outreach efforts like 'saveoursnap.org' to help recipients navigate the new work requirements. Advocates argue that for every meal provided by food pantries, SNAP provides nine, making the potential loss of benefits for 340,000 Illinoisans a critical concern.