I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1753 

To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to repeal the particular 

work requirement that disqualifies able-bodied adults for eligibility to 

participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 10, 2021 

Ms. LEE of California (for herself, Mr. KILMER, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. KHANNA, 

Mr. ESPAILLAT, Ms. BONAMICI, Mr. WELCH, Ms. PRESSLEY, Mr. 

GALLEGO, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Ms. STRICKLAND, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Ms. OMAR, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, 

Mr. DEUTCH, Mr. CA ́RDENAS, Mr. RUSH, Mr. MCGOVERN, and Ms. 

MENG) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Agriculture 

A BILL 

To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to repeal 

the particular work requirement that disqualifies ablebodied adults for eligibility to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program. 

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 ‘‘Improving Access to 

5 Nutrition Act of 2021’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

2 The Congress makes the following findings: 

3 (1) 35 million people, including over 10 million 

4 children, suffered from hunger even before the 

5 COVID-19 pandemic. 

6 (2) Analyses show that 50 million people, in7 cluding 17 million children, could go hungry due to 

8 the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

9 (3) As of December 2020, food insecurity 

10 among White households with children was 24.2 per11 cent, while 38.6 percent of Latinx and 40.6 percent 

12 of African-American households with children suf13 fered from food insecurity. 

14 (4) Black and Hispanic children were twice as 

15 likely to live in households without enough to eat as 

16 White children, entering this crisis at dispropor17 tionate risk of going hungry. 

18 (5) Adults who identify as American Indian, 

19 Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, or 

20 as multiracial, were twice as likely as White adults 

21 to report that their household did not get enough to 

22 eat. While official national data for Native American 

23 households is lacking, previous research in Wash24 ington State showed food insecurity among Native 

25 households was 2.5 times higher than in White 

26 households. 


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1 (6) The COVID-19 pandemic has deepened 

2 longstanding racial disparities and food insecurity. 

3 (7) SNAP is the Nation’s first line of defense 

4 against hunger and is especially vital for vulnerable 

5 populations. More than 85 percent of all SNAP ben6 efits go to households with children, seniors, and 

7 persons with disabilities. 

8 (8) SNAP helps restore access to healthy food, 

9 improves overall health, and reduces poverty. SNAP 

10 participation is also associated with educational ad11 vancement of children in poverty and improvements 

12 in math and reading scores. 

13 (9) SNAP has a proven record of effectiveness 

14 in promoting food security and health as well as in 

15 providing economic stimulus. Each $1 in SNAP ben16 efits during a downturn generates between $1.50 

17 and $1.80 in economic activity. 

18 (10) Studies have also demonstrated that work 

19 requirements do not reduce poverty. 

20 (11) About 6.1 million individuals are subject to 

21 SNAP work requirements and are at risk of losing 

22 critical food assistance if they cannot comply. 

23 (12) Some live in households with school-aged 

24 children where benefit reductions or terminations 


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1 could jeopardize children’s health, development, and 

2 future success. 

3 (13) Children in poverty also often depend on 

4 pooled resources (including SNAP benefits) from ex5 tended family members who do not claim them as 

6 dependents. 

7 (14) Studies show that health impediments are 

8 a primary cause of why many SNAP recipients are 

9 unable to meet a work requirement. 

10 (15) Work requirements also cause an increase 

11 in the administrative bureaucracy, which some stud12 ies have shown, cause a significant reduction in 

13 SNAP participation. 

14 (16) Studies show that Black Americans are 

15 particularly vulnerable and are most likely to face 

16 recent unemployment and work requirements would 

17 disproportionately prevent Black people from having 

18 access to this important benefit. 

19 (17) Families experiencing homelessness are 

20 most likely to leave programs like SNAP when there 

21 is a work requirement, thereby increasing their vul22 nerability. 

23 (18) COVID-19 has made people more vulner24 able. A work requirement would serve to only further 


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1 burden those most at risk during the COVID-19 

2 pandemic. 

3 SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS. 

4 (a) WORK REQUIREMENT.—Section 6 of the Food 

5 and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2015) is amended— 

6 (1) in subsections (d)(4)(B)(ii)(I)(bb), 

7 (d)(4)(N)(iii)(I)(bb), (d)(4)(N)(iv)(II), and 

8 (d)(4)(N)(v)(IV) by striking ‘‘or subsection (o)’’, and 

9 (2) by striking subsection (o). 

10 (b) ADDITIONAL ALLOCATIONS FOR STATES THAT

11 ENSURE AVAILABILITY OF WORK OPPORTUNITIES.—Sec12 tion 16(h)(1) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 

13 U.S.C. 2025(h)(1)) is amended by striking subparagraph 

14 (E). 

15 (c) TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.— 

16 (1) Section 7(i)(1) of the Food and Nutrition 

17 Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2016(i)(1)) is amended by 

18 striking ‘‘section 6(o)(2) of this Act or’’. 

19 (2) Section 16(h) of the Food and Nutrition 

20 Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2025(h)) is amended— 

21 (A) in paragraph (1)— 

22 (i) in subparagraph (B)— 

23 (I) by striking ‘‘that—’’ and all 

24 that follows through ‘‘(I)’’, and 


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1 (II) by striking ‘‘; and’’ and all 

2 that follows through ‘‘6(o)’’, and 

3 (ii) in subparagraph 

4 (F)(ii)(III)(ee)(AA) by striking ‘‘, individ5 uals subject to the requirements under sec6 tion 6(o),’’, and 

7 (B) in paragraph (5)(C)— 

8 (i) in clause (ii) by inserting ‘‘and’’ at 

9 the end, and 

10 (ii) in clause (iii) by striking ‘‘; and’’ 

11 and all that follows through ‘‘appropriate’’. 

12 SEC. 4. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS. 

13 (a) INTERNAL REVENUE CODE.—Section 

14 51(d)(8)(A)(ii) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 

15 U.S.C. 51(d)(8)(A)(ii)) is amended— 

16 (1) by striking ‘‘family—’’ and all that follows 

17 through ‘‘(I)’’ and inserting ‘‘family’’, and 

18 (2) by striking ‘‘, or’’ and all that follows 

19 through ‘‘of 2008’’. 

20 (b) WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY

21 ACT.—The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 

22 (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.) is amended— 

23 (1) in section 103(a)(2) by striking subpara24 graph (D), and 


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1 (2) in section 121(b)(2)(B) by striking clause 

2 (iv). 

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

4 (a) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Except as provided in sub5 section (b), this Act and the amendments made by this 

6 Act shall take effect 180 days after the date of enactment 

7 of this Act. 

8 (b) APPLICATION OF AMENDMENTS.— 

9 (1) The amendments made by section 2 shall 

10 not apply with respect to an allotment issued under 

11 the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 

12 et seq.) before the effective date of this Act. 

13 (2) The amendments made by section 3(a) shall 

14 not apply to individuals hired before the expiration 

15 of the 90-day period that begins on the effective 

16 date of this Act. 

Æ 


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