I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7916 

To temporarily waive section 115 of the Personal Responsibility and Work 

Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 as applied to the TANF and 

SNAP programs, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 31, 2020 

Ms. MOORE (for herself, Ms. LEE of California, Ms. BASS, Mr. COHEN, Mr. 

CA ́RDENAS, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. RUSH, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. 

THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. FOSTER, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Mr. 

TRONE, Ms. BARRAGA ́N, Ms. HAALAND, Mr. EVANS, Mr. GARCI ́A of Illinois, Ms. NORTON, Ms. ADAMS, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mrs. 

HAYES, Ms. FUDGE, Mr. CLAY, Mr. COOPER, Mr. PASCRELL, Ms. 

CLARKE of New York, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. KHANNA, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Ms. SCANLON, Ms. JAYAPAL, Mr. NADLER, Ms. OMAR, Mr. 

BUTTERFIELD, Ms. PRESSLEY, Mr. TAKANO, and Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, 

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 temporarily waive section 115 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 

as applied to the TANF and SNAP programs, and for 

other purposes. 

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


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•HR 7916 IH

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Removing Barriers to 

3 Basic Needs Act of 2020’’. 

4 SEC. 2. EMERGENCY EXTENSION OF SNAP AND TANF BENE5 FITS. 

6 (a) APPLICABILITY OF BAN ON SNAP AND TANF 

7 BENEFITS.—Section 115 of the Personal Responsibility 

8 and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (21 

9 U.S.C. 862a) shall not apply to any individual applying 

10 for benefits under the supplemental nutrition assistance 

11 program and temporary assistance for needy families pro12 gram. 

13 (b) EFFECT ON STATE POLICIES.—Any law enacted 

14 by a State under the authority under subparagraph (A) 

15 or (B) of subsection (d)(1) of section 115 of the Personal 

16 Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act 

17 of 1996 (21 U.S.C. 862a), and any State law, policy, or 

18 regulation that imposes conditions on eligibility for the 

19 supplemental nutrition assistance program and temporary 

20 assistance for needy families program based on an individ21 ual’s conviction of an offense related to a controlled sub22 stance, shall have no force or effect until the date specified 

23 in subsection (c). 

24 (c) SUNSET.—The authority under this section shall 

25 be in effect beginning on the date of enactment of this 

26 Act and until December 31, 2022. 


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•HR 7916 IH

1 (d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

2 (1) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ has the mean3 ing given such term in section 3(r) of the Food and 

4 Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012(r)). 

5 (2) SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE

6 PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘supplemental nutrition as7 sistance program’’ has the meaning given such term 

8 in section 3(t) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 

9 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012(t)). 

10 (3) TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMI11 LIES PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘temporary assistance 

12 for needy families program’’ has the meaning given 

13 such term in section 401 of Personal Responsibility 

14 and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 

15 (42 U.S.C. 601(a)). 

Æ 


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