I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1510 

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 9, 2023 

Ms. LEE of California (for herself, Ms. ADAMS, Ms. DELBENE, Mr. 

DESAULNIER, Mr. PANETTA, Ms. MENG, Ms. TITUS, Mr. AUCHINCLOSS, 

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Ms. JAYAPAL, Mr. CARTER of Louisiana, 

Mr. SABLAN, Ms. CHU, Ms. SCANLON, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Mr. 

BLUMENAUER, Mr. CA ́RDENAS, Mr. CARBAJAL, Ms. CLARKE of New 

York, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. LEVIN, Ms. JACOBS, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Mr. COHEN, Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia, Mr. CARSON, Ms. MOORE

of Wisconsin, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. CASAR, Mr. 

GOMEZ, Mr. CORREA, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mrs. RAMIREZ, Mr. SCHIFF, Ms. 

TOKUDA, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. GARCI ́A of Illinois, Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI, 

Mr. PAYNE, Mr. GRIJALVA, and Ms. BONAMICI) 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, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Improving Access to 

3 Nutrition Act of 2023’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

5 The Congress makes the following findings: 

6 (1) 35 million people, including over 10 million 

7 children, suffered from hunger even before the 

8 COVID–19 pandemic. 

9 (2) Analyses show that 50 million people, in10 cluding 17 million children, could go hungry due to 

11 the effects of the COVID–19 pandemic. 

12 (3) As of December 2020, food insecurity 

13 among White households with children was 24.2 per14 cent, while 38.6 percent of Latinx and 40.6 percent 

15 of African-American households with children suf16 fered from food insecurity. 

17 (4) Black and Hispanic children were twice as 

18 likely to live in households without enough to eat as 

19 White children, entering this crisis at dispropor20 tionate risk of going hungry. 

21 (5) Adults who identify as American Indian, 

22 Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, or 

23 as multiracial, were twice as likely as White adults 

24 to report that their household did not get enough to 

25 eat. While official national data for Native American 

26 households is lacking, previous research in WashVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:48 Mar 22, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1510.IH H1510

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1 ington State showed food insecurity among Native 

2 households was 2.5 times higher than in White 

3 households. 

4 (6) The COVID–19 pandemic has deepened 

5 longstanding racial disparities and food insecurity. 

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

7 against hunger and is especially vital for vulnerable 

8 populations. More than 85 percent of all SNAP ben9 efits go to households with children, seniors, and 

10 persons with disabilities. 

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

12 improves overall health, and reduces poverty. SNAP 

13 participation is also associated with educational ad14 vancement of children in poverty and improvements 

15 in math and reading scores. 

16 (9) SNAP has a proven record of effectiveness 

17 in promoting food security and health as well as in 

18 providing economic stimulus. Each $1 in SNAP ben19 efits during a downturn generates between $1.50 

20 and $1.80 in economic activity. 

21 (10) Studies have also demonstrated that work 

22 requirements do not reduce poverty. 

23 (11) About 6.1 million individuals are subject to 

24 SNAP work requirements and are at risk of losing 

25 critical food assistance if they cannot comply. 


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

2 children where benefit reductions or terminations 

3 could jeopardize children’s health, development, and 

4 future success. 

5 (13) Children in poverty also often depend on 

6 pooled resources (including SNAP benefits) from ex7 tended family members who do not claim them as 

8 dependents. 

9 (14) Studies show that health impediments are 

10 a primary cause of why many SNAP recipients are 

11 unable to meet a work requirement. 

12 (15) Work requirements also cause an increase 

13 in the administrative bureaucracy, which some stud14 ies have shown, cause a significant reduction in 

15 SNAP participation. 

16 (16) Studies show that Black Americans are 

17 particularly vulnerable and are most likely to face 

18 recent unemployment and work requirements would 

19 disproportionately prevent Black people from having 

20 access to this important benefit. 

21 (17) Families experiencing homelessness are 

22 most likely to leave programs like SNAP when there 

23 is a work requirement, thereby increasing their vul24 nerability. 


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1 (18) COVID–19 has made people more vulner2 able. A work requirement would serve to only further 

3 burden those most at risk during the COVID–19 

4 pandemic. 

5 SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS. 

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

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

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

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

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

11 (2) by striking subsection (o). 

12 (b) ADDITIONAL ALLOCATIONS FOR STATES THAT

13 ENSURE AVAILABILITY OF WORK OPPORTUNITIES.—Sec14 tion 16(h)(1) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 

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

16 (E). 

17 (c) TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.— 

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

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

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

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

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

23 (A) in paragraph (1)— 

24 (i) in subparagraph (B)— 


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1 (I) by striking ‘‘that—’’ and all 

2 that follows through ‘‘(I)’’, and 

3 (II) by striking ‘‘; and’’ and all 

4 that follows through ‘‘6(o)’’, and 

5 (ii) in subparagraph 

6 (F)(ii)(III)(ee)(AA) by striking ‘‘, individ7 uals subject to the requirements under sec8 tion 6(o),’’, and 

9 (B) in paragraph (5)(C)— 

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

11 the end, and 

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

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

14 SEC. 4. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS. 

15 (a) INTERNAL REVENUE CODE.—Section 

16 51(d)(8)(A)(ii) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 

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

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

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

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

21 through ‘‘of 2008’’. 

22 (b) WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY

23 ACT.—The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 

24 (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.) is amended— 


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1 (1) in section 103(a)(2) by striking subpara2 graph (D), and 

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

4 (iv). 

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

6 (a) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Except as provided in sub7 section (b), this Act and the amendments made by this 

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

9 of this Act. 

10 (b) APPLICATION OF AMENDMENTS.— 

11 (1) The amendments made by section 2 shall 

12 not apply with respect to an allotment issued under 

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

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

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

16 not apply to individuals hired before the expiration 

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

18 date of this Act. 

Æ 


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