I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2837 

To amend the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation 

Act of 1996 to repeal a certain disqualification to receive benefits under 

title IV of the Social Security Act and benefits under the Food and 

Nutrition Act of 2008; and to amend the Food and Nutrition Act 

of 2008 to provide that incarcerated individuals who are scheduled to 

be released from an institution within 30 days shall be considered to 

be a household for purposes of such Act. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 26, 2021 

Mr. COHEN (for himself, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, 

Mrs. HAYES, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. BONAMICI, Mr. CA ́RDENAS, Mr. 

CLEAVER, Mr. COOPER, Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. DEUTCH, 

Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. HORSFORD, Ms. KAPTUR, Ms. LEE of California, Ms. 

NORTON, Mr. RUSH, Ms. TLAIB, Mr. TRONE, Ms. SCANLON, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. WELCH, and Ms. DEAN) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to 

the Committee on Ways and Means, 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 amend the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity 

Reconciliation Act of 1996 to repeal a certain disqualification to receive benefits under title IV of the Social 

Security Act and benefits under the Food and Nutrition 

Act of 2008; and to amend the Food and Nutrition 

Act of 2008 to provide that incarcerated individuals who 

are scheduled to be released from an institution within 


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•HR 2837 IH

30 days shall be considered to be a household for purposes of such Act. 

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 ‘‘Making Essentials 

5 Available and Lawful (MEAL) Act of 2021’’. 

6 SEC. 2. TANF ASSISTANCE AND SNAP BENEFITS. 

7 (a) REPEAL OF BAN ON ASSISTANCE.—Section 115 

8 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Rec9 onciliation Act of 1996 (21 U.S.C. 862a) is repealed. 

10 (b) EFFECT ON STATE ELECTIONS TO OPT OUT OR

11 LIMIT PERIOD OF PROHIBITION.— 

12 (1) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection— 

13 (A) the term ‘‘State’’ has the meaning 

14 given the term in section 115(e) of the Personal 

15 Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconcili16 ation Act of 1996 (21 U.S.C. 862a(e)) (as in 

17 effect on the day before the date of enactment 

18 of this Act); and 

19 (B) the term ‘‘TANF assistance or SNAP 

20 benefits’’ means assistance or benefits referred 

21 to in section 115(a) of the Personal Responsi22 bility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act 

23 of 1996 (as in effect on the day before the date 

24 of enactment of this Act). 


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1 (2) EFFECT ON STATE POLICIES.—Any law en2 acted by a State under the authority under subpara3 graph (A) or (B) of subsection (d)(1) of section 115 

4 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Oppor5 tunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (21 U.S.C. 862a), 

6 and any State law, policy, or regulation that imposes 

7 conditions on eligibility for the supplemental nutri8 tion assistance program and temporary assistance 

9 for needy families program based on an individual’s 

10 conviction of an offense related to a controlled sub11 stance, shall have no force or effect. 

12 SEC. 3. MODIFICATION OF DEFINITION OF HOUSEHOLD 

13 FOR THE PURPOSE OF DETERMINING SNAP 

14 BENEFITS. 

15 Section 3(m)(5) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 

16 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012(m)(5)) is amended by adding at the 

17 end the following: 

18 ‘‘(H) Incarcerated individuals who are 

19 scheduled to be released from an institution 

20 within 30 days.’’. 

Æ 


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