I 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4540 

To provide clarity regarding States’ ability to manage the supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) and to provide States with funding 

to treat drug addiction in the SNAP population. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 11, 2016 

Mr. ADERHOLT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and 

Commerce and Education and the Workforce, 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 

A BILL 

To provide clarity regarding States’ ability to manage the 

supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) and 

to provide States with funding to treat drug addiction 

in the SNAP population. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘SNAP Empowerment 

5 and Accountability Act of 2016’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. DRUG TESTING. 

2 (a) AMENDMENT TO THE FOOD AND NUTRITION ACT

3 OF 2008.—Section 5(b) of the Food and Nutrition Act 

4 of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2014(b)) is amended by striking the 

5 period at the end by inserting the following: 

6 ‘‘but a State agency, in its sole discretion, may impose 

7 a standard of eligibility based on the results of testing for 

8 use of controlled substances. The Secretary shall not dis9 approve a plan of operation due solely to the fact that 

10 a State agency imposes a standard of eligibility based on 

11 the results of testing for controlled substances.’’. 

12 (b) AMENDMENT TO THE PERSONAL RESPONSI13 BILITY AND WORK OPPORTUNITY RECONCILIATION ACT

14 OF 1996.—Section 902 of the Personal Responsibility and 

15 Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (21 U.S.C. 

16 862b) is amended— 

17 (1) by inserting ‘‘, including supplemental nu18 trition assistance program benefit recipients,’’ after 

19 ‘‘recipients’’ the 1st place it appears, and 

20 (2) by striking ‘‘welfare’’ the last place it ap21 pears. 


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1 SEC. 3. TREATMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS TESTED FOR DRUG 

2 USE FOR ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION 

3 UNDER THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION AS4 SISTANCE PROGRAM. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Sub6 stance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 

7 shall award grants to States to defray the costs of pro8 viding treatment to individuals who test positive for a con9 trolled substance under section 5(b) of the Food and Nu10 trition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2014(b)) and who are identi11 fied by the States as needing treatment for the abuse of 

12 such substance. 

13 (b) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘State’’ 

14 has the meaning given to that term in section 3 of the 

15 Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012). 

16 (c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 

17 out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated 

18 $600,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2021. 

19 SEC. 4. STANDARD UTILITY ALLOWANCES BASED ON THE 

20 RECEIPT OF ENERGY ASSISTANCE PAY21 MENTS. 

22 (a) STANDARD UTILITY ALLOWANCE.—Section 5 of 

23 the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2014) is 

24 amended— 

25 (1) in subsection (e)(6)(C)(iv)(I) by striking 

26 ‘‘$20’’ and inserting ‘‘$50’’, and 


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1 (2) in subsection (k) by striking paragraph (4) 

2 and inserting the following: 

3 ‘‘(4) THIRD-PARTY ENERGY ASSISTANCE PAY4 MENTS.—For purposes of subsection (d)(1), a pay5 ment made under a State law (other than a law re6 ferred to in paragraph (2)(G)) to provide energy as7 sistance to a household shall be considered money 

8 payable directly to the household.’’. 

9 (b) ENERGY ASSISTANCE THRESHOLD AMOUNT.— 

10 Section 2605(f)(2)(A) of the Low-Income Home Energy 

11 Assistance Act of 1981 (42 U.S.C. 8624(f)(2)(a)) is 

12 amended by striking ‘‘$20’’ and inserting ‘‘$50’’. 

13 SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE; APPLICATION OF AMENDMENTS. 

14 (a) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Except as provided in sub15 section (b), this Act shall take effect on the date of the 

16 enactment of this Act. 

17 (b) APPLICATION OF AMENDMENTS.—The amend18 ments made by this Act shall not apply with respect to 

19 certification periods that begin before the date of the en20 actment of this Act. 

Æ 


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