United States 117th Congress Status: Died 1 D cosponsors

HR 5346 — Equal Access to the Right Nutrition for Military Families (EARN) Act of 2021

Last action — Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations.

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. Died in session

This bill died with 117th Congress. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Equal Access to the Right Nutrition for Military Families (EARN) Act of 2021 This bill facilitates the participation of military households in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by excluding from income limits the housing allowance provided to members of the Armed Forces and modifying administration and other aspects of the program.

Bill Text

Sections of law this bill changes

2 sections in 1 law

From the bill's own amending language, matched to the official United States Code (current through Public Law 119-124).

Supplemental nutrition assistance program · 7 U.S.C. ch. 51 2 sections
  • § 2012 Definitions Amends

    7 U.S.C. § 2012

    The law today

    As used in this chapter, the term: (a) “Access device” means any card, plate, code, account number, or other means of access, including point of sale devices, that can be used, alone or in conjunction with another access device, to obtain payments, allotments, benefits, money, goods, or other things of value, or that can be used to initiate a transfer of funds under this chapter. (b) “Allotment” means the total value of benefits a household is authorized to receive during each month. (c) “Allowable medical expenses” means expenditures for (1) medical and dental care, (2) hospitalization or nursing care (including hospitalization or nursing care of an individual who was a household member immediately prior to entering a hospital or nursing home), (3) prescription drugs when prescribed by a licensed practitioner authorized under State law and over-the-counter medication (including insulin) when approved by a licensed practitioner or other qualified health professional, (4) health and hospitalization insurance policies (excluding the costs of health and accident or income maintenance policies), (5) medicare premiums related to coverage under title XVIII of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.], (6) dentures, hearing aids, and prosthetics (including the costs of securing and maintaining a seeing eye dog), (7) eye glasses prescribed by a physician skilled in eye disease or by an optometrist, (8) reasonable costs of transportation necessary to secure medical treatment or services, and (9) maintaining an attendant, homemaker, home health aide, housekeeper, or child care services due to age, infirmity, or illness. (d) Benefit.— The term “benefit” means the value of supplemental nutrition assistance provided to a household by means of— (1) an electronic benefit transfer under section 2016(h) of this title; or (2) other means of providing assistance, as determined by the Secretary. (e) Benefit Issuer.— The term “benefit issuer” means any office of the State agency or any person, partnership, corporation, organization, political subdivision, or other entity with which a State agency has contracted for, or to which it has delegated functional responsibility in connection with, the issuance of benefits to households. (f) “Certification period” means the period for which households shall be eligible to receive benefits. The certification period shall not exceed 12 months, except that the certification period may be up to 24 months if all adult household members are elderly or disabled. A State agency shall have at least 1 contact with each certified household every 12 months. The limits specified in this subsection may be extended until the end of any transitional benefit period established under section 2020(s) of this title. (g) “Coupon” means any coupon, stamp, type of certificate, authorization card, cash or check issued in lieu of a coupon. (h) “Drug addiction or alcoholic treatment and rehabilitation program” means any such program conducted by a private nonprofit organization or institution, or a publicly operated community mental health center, under part B of title XIX of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300x et seq.) to provide treatment that can lead to the rehabilitation of drug addicts or alcoholics. (i) EBT Card.— The term “EBT card” means an electronic benefit transfer card issued under section 2016(h) of this title. (j) “Elderly or disabled member” means a member of a household who— (1) is sixty years of age or older; (2) (A) receives supplemental security income benefits under title XVI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.), or Federally or State administered supplemental benefits of the type described in section 212(a) of Public Law 93–66 (42 U.S.C. 1382 note), or (B) receives Federally or State administered supplemental assistance of the type described in section 1616(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1382e(a)), interim assistance pending receipt of supplemental security income, ...

    82 other bills also change this section · Follow it → Official text at uscode.house.gov ↗

  • § 2014 Eligible households Amends

    7 U.S.C. § 2014

    The law today

    (a) Income and other financial resources as substantial limiting factors in obtaining more nutritious diet; recipients under Social Security Act Participation in the supplemental nutrition assistance program shall be limited to those households whose incomes and other financial resources, held singly or in joint ownership, are determined to be a substantial limiting factor in permitting them to obtain a more nutritious diet. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter except subsections (b), (d)(2), (g), and (r) of section 2015 of this title and section 2012(m)(4) of this title, households in which each member receives benefits under a State program funded under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), supplemental security income benefits under title XVI of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.], or aid to the aged, blind, or disabled under title I, X, XIV, or XVI of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 301 et seq., 1201 et seq., 1351 et seq., or 1381 et seq.], shall be eligible to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program. Except for sections 2015, 2025(e)(1), and section 2012(m)(4) of this title, households in which each member receives benefits under a State or local general assistance program that complies with standards established by the Secretary for ensuring that the program is based on income criteria comparable to or more restrictive than those under subsection (c)(2), and not limited to one-time emergency payments that cannot be provided for more than one consecutive month, shall be eligible to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program. Assistance under this program shall be furnished to all eligible households who make application for such participation. (b) Eligibility standards Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the Secretary shall establish uniform national standards of eligibility (other than the income standards for Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the Virgin Islands of the United States established in accordance with subsections (c) and (e) of this section) for participation by households in the supplemental nutrition assistance program in accordance with the provisions of this section. No plan of operation submitted by a State agency shall be approved unless the standards of eligibility meet those established by the Secretary, and no State agency shall impose any other standards of eligibility as a condition for participating in the program. (c) Gross income standard The income standards of eligibility shall be adjusted each October 1 and shall provide that a household shall be ineligible to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program if— (1) the household’s income (after the exclusions and deductions provided for in subsections (d) and (e)) exceeds the poverty line, as defined in section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9902(2)), for the forty-eight contiguous States and the District of Columbia, Alaska, Hawaii, the Virgin Islands of the United States, and Guam, respectively; and (2) in the case of a household that does not include an elderly or disabled member, the household’s income (after the exclusions provided for in subsection (d) but before the deductions provided for in subsection (e)) exceeds such poverty line by more than 30 per centum. In no event shall the standards of eligibility for the Virgin Islands of the United States or Guam exceed those in the forty-eight contiguous States. (d) Exclusions from income Household income for purposes of the supplemental nutrition assistance program shall include all income from whatever source excluding only— (1) any gain or benefit which is not in the form of money payable directly to a household (notwithstanding its conversion in whole or in part to direct payments to households pursuant to any demonstration project carried out or authorized under Federal law including demonstration projects created by the waiver of provi...

    98 other bills also change this section · Follow it → Official text at uscode.house.gov ↗

How this bill changes current law

9 changes Share ↗

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill expands eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to include military family households and modifies income calculations and outreach efforts for these households.

  • 7 U.S.C. 2012

    In the case of military family households, the Secretary of Defense may be the benefit issuer.

    Allows the Secretary of Defense to be the benefit issuer for military families in SNAP.

  • 7 U.S.C. 2012

    `Dependent', for purposes of section 5(d)(21), has the meaning given such term in section 401 of title 37 of the United States Code.

    Defines 'Dependent' for military families in relation to SNAP.

  • 7 U.S.C. 2012

    `Military family household' means an active duty member of the Armed Forces and all dependents living with such member.

    Introduces a definition for 'Military family household' related to SNAP eligibility.

  • 7 U.S.C. 2014

    and → and

    Modifies income standards criteria for households including members of the Armed Forces.

  • 7 U.S.C. 2014

    the period at the end → ; and

    Allows for additional criteria when determining eligibility based on income for military households.

  • 7 U.S.C. 2014

    (3) in the case of a household that includes a member of the Armed Forces of the United States, the household's income (after the exclusions provided for in subsection (d) but before the deductions provided for in subsection (e)) exceeds the poverty line by more than 100 percent.

    Establishes a higher income threshold for military households in SNAP eligibility evaluation.

  • 7 U.S.C. 2014

    (20) the basic housing allowance (or applicable cash equivalent) received by household members who are active members of the Armed Forces of the United States.

    Excludes housing allowance from income when determining eligibility for SNAP.

  • 7 U.S.C. 2014

    (o) Military Family Household Eligibility.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a military family household shall not be ineligible for failing to meet the requirements of subsection (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (l), (m), or (n).

    Ensures military families are not disqualified from SNAP based on typical income or resource thresholds.

  • 7 U.S.C. 2014

    (t) Eligibility Disqualifications of Military Family Households.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, only subsections (m), (n), (s), and (q) shall apply with respect to military family households.

    Limits the disqualifications applicable to military family households in SNAP eligibility determinations.

Action History

  1. Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations.

  2. Introduced in House

  3. Introduced in House

  4. Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1015)

  5. Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

  6. Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 546 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (546)

546 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

veterans agriculture
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does HR 5346 do?
Equal Access to the Right Nutrition for Military Families (EARN) Act of 2021 This bill facilitates the participation of military households in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by excluding from income limits the housing allowance provided to members of the Armed Forces and modifying administration and other aspects of the program.
Who sponsors HR 5346?
HR 5346 is sponsored by Bishop, Sanford D. (Democratic).
What is the current status of HR 5346?
This bill died with 117th Congress. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track HR 5346?
Track HR 5346 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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