I 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4849 

To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to reform the work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents; and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 23, 2016 

Mr. CHABOT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Agriculture 

A BILL 

To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to reform 

the work requirements for able-bodied adults without 

dependents; 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, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Food and Nutrition 

5 Reform, Responsibility, and Accountability Act of 2016’’. 

6 SEC. 2. ENHANCED WORK REQUIREMENT FOR CERTAIN 

7 ADULTS. 

8 Section 6(o) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 

9 (7 U.S.C. 2015) is amended— 


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1 (1) in paragraph (2) by striking ‘‘3 months 

2 (consecutive or otherwise)’’ and inserting ‘‘1 

3 month’’, and 

4 (2) in paragraph (6)(A)(ii)(IV) by striking ‘‘3 

5 months’’ and inserting ‘‘1 month’’. 

6 SEC. 3. AGE MODIFICATION OF EXEMPTION FROM WORK 

7 REQUIREMENT. 

8 Section 6(o)(3)(A) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 

9 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2015(o)(3)(A)) is amended to read as fol10 lows: 

11 ‘‘(A)(i) is less than 18 years of age; 

12 ‘‘(ii) is more than 50 years of age in a 

13 household that includes an individual less than 

14 18 years of age; or 

15 ‘‘(iii) is more than 63 years of age;’’. 

16 SEC. 4. TERMINATION OF STATE WAIVER AUTHORITY. 

17 Section 6(o)(4) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 

18 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2015(o)(4)) is amended by adding at the 

19 end the following: 

20 ‘‘(C) TERMINATION.—Subparagraph (A) 

21 shall not apply with respect to any fiscal year 

22 that begins after the effective date of this sub23 paragraph.’’. 


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1 SEC. 5. REDUCTION IN STATE EXEMPTION AUTHORITY. 

2 Section 6(o)(6) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 

3 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2015(o)(6)) is amended— 

4 (1) in the heading by striking ‘‘15-PERCENT’’ 

5 and inserting ‘‘5-PERCENT’’, and 

6 (2) in subparagraph (D) by striking ‘‘15 per7 cent’’ and inserting ‘‘5 percent’’. 

8 SEC. 6. EXPUNGEMENT OF UNUSED SUPPLEMENTAL NU9 TRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM BENEFITS. 

10 Section 11 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 

11 (7 U.S.C. 2020), as amended by section 4015, is amended 

12 by adding at the end the following: 

13 ‘‘(w) EXPUNGEMENT OF UNUSED BENEFTIS.—The 

14 State agency shall expunge from the EBT account of a 

15 household benefits that are not used before the expiration 

16 of the 90-day period beginning on the date such benefits 

17 are posted to such account.’’. 

18 SEC. 7. EXPUNGEMENT OF DORMANT SUPPLEMENTAL NU19 TRITION ASSISTANCE ACCOUNTS. 

20 Section 11 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 

21 (7 U.S.C. 2020), as amended by section 4015, is amended 

22 by adding at the end the following: 

23 ‘‘(w) EXPUNGEMENT OF BENEFITS IN DORMANT

24 EBT ACCOUNT.—The State agency shall expunge from an 

25 EBT account that has not been accessed for a 3-month 


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1 period all of the benefits that are posted to such account 

2 during such period.’’. 

3 SEC. 8. STATE WORKFARE PROGRAM REQUIREMENT FOR 

4 PARTICIPATION IN THE SUPPLEMENTAL NU5 TRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 

6 Section 20(a) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 

7 (7 U.S.C. 2029(a)) is amended by inserting ‘‘for not less 

8 than 6 hours per week’’ after ‘‘perform work,’’ the second 

9 place it appears. 

10 SEC. 9. EFFECTIVE DATE. 

11 This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall 

12 take effect on the first day of the first month that begins 

13 more than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this 

14 Act. 

Æ 


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