U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado on Wednesday introduced the Hot Foods Act, a bipartisan bill that would expand the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and could reduce hunger that persists in this country.
Senate Bill 2258 would allow SNAP participants to purchase hot and heated foods for immediate consumption.
Since 2008, SNAP benefits are designed solely for take-home preparation and consumption, meaning participants can only purchase cold foods that need to be prepared. This makes it difficult for busy and overworked people to feed their families while surviving on low-income and minimum wage jobs.
Cooked and readily available foods – such as soups, rotisserie chickens and hot sandwiches – could relieve this problem not only for families but also for the houseless, people with disabilities and seniors.
With 42 million people relying on SNAP in the United States, 70% include people with disabilities, children and seniors. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated that 4,769 Montezuma County residents relied on the program in 2020.
“SNAP is one of the most effective tools for reducing food insecurity and combating poverty. It’s past time that Congress cuts unnecessary red tape in the program that prevents Americans from using their SNAP benefits to buy prepared and hot foods to feed their families,” Bennet said. “This bill will make things a little easier for working families, single parents, people with disabilities, and seniors to put food on the table – and I’ll work with anyone in Congress to fight hunger and poverty in every way we can.”
The Hot Foods Act is also supported by First Focus Campaign for Children, Hunger Free Colorado, Hunger Free America, Feeding America and Food Research & Action Center.
The bill also was co-sponsored by Sens. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), and Ben Cardin (D-Md.).
A companion bill in the House was co-sponsored by Reps. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.), and Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.).
