05/01/2020
On April 28, Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Representative Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) introduced the SNAP CARRY Act to broaden the SNAP Restaurant Meal Program to all SNAP participants during pandemics. FRAC President Luis Guardia said, “We must leverage the capacity of the hard-hit restaurant sector to provide meals for purchase with SNAP benefits. This is a key piece of the food system puzzle that can ensure food security and bolster demand from a supply chain that has been hit hard as a result of the pandemic. Moreover, each $1 in SNAP benefits generates between $1.50 and $1.80 in economic activity. We need more access points for SNAP consumers to obtain their food. This is essential for public health as well as for economic recovery.” A separate bill offered by Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) aims to leverage SNAP during economic downturns. Specifically, the bill would increase the maximum SNAP benefit by 15 percent, provide additional funding for the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), and eliminate work requirements during a recession. It also would “ensure the use of broad-based categorical eligibility so that more vulnerable families can access SNAP benefits, even outside of a crisis.”
