Congress·In Committee·S. 1628

Congress Proposes Ending Work Requirements for 6.1 Million Food Stamp Recipients to Fight Hunger

Improving Access to Nutrition Act of 2025

11 months ago·View on Congress.gov

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

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Stalled

No legislative action in over 90 days.

Legislative Progress

Senate

House

President

Law

Key Points

Congress is considering a bill to remove the rule that requires certain adults to work or train for a job to keep their 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 do not go hungry, especially since many families are still struggling with the long-term effects of the pandemic. Research mentioned in the bill shows that these work rules often do not actually help people find better jobs or get out of poverty.
This change would specifically help people who have health problems, are experiencing homelessness, or face other barriers that make it hard to keep a steady job. By removing the extra paperwork, the government hopes more people who need help will be able to stay in the program.
If passed, the new rules would start 180 days after the bill becomes law. This would simplify how the program is run and reduce the amount of administrative work needed to track the hours worked by millions of people.

AgricultureLabor Employment

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Who is affectedScoreImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

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

Broader Impacts

DomainScoreShort-termLong-termReversibilityConfidence

Score

Scores: -5 (harmful) to +5 (beneficial)Short-term: 0-2 yearsLong-term: 10-30 years

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

May 6, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

May 6, 2025

Introduced in Senate

Related News

3 articles

The Washington Post·9 months ago

Nutrition program for Americans on food stamps at risk in GOP bill

Legislative proposals to eliminate SNAP-Ed and expand work requirements have sparked concerns about the health and food security of low-income Americans. Critics argue that cutting these programs undermines efforts to address chronic disease and poverty.

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Reuters·2 months ago

US states urge Congress to delay food aid cost provisions in Trump's tax bill

State governments are asking for a delay in implementing new SNAP cost-sharing and work requirement rules, citing operational challenges and fiscal risks. The transition follows a period of program instability caused by a federal government shutdown and rapid policy changes.

Al Jazeera·3 months ago

How is Trump's Big Beautiful Bill changing US taxes and healthcare in 2026?

Starting January 1, 2026, new work requirements for SNAP benefits will apply to able-bodied adults up to age 64. The policy requires 80 hours of work or training per month, a shift that critics fear will reduce accessibility for the nation's most vulnerable populations.