I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2996 
To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to modify the work 
requirement applicable to able-bodied adults without dependents. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 22, 2017 
Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Agriculture 
A BILL 
To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to modify 
the work requirement applicable to able-bodied adults 
without dependents. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Supplemental Nutri-
tion Assistance Program Reform Act of 2017’’. 
SEC. 2. WORK REQUIREMENTS FOR ABLE-BODIED ADULTS 
WITHOUT DEPENDENTS. 
(a) DECLARATION
OF POLICY.—Section 2 of the 
Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011) is 
amended by adding at the end the following: ‘‘Congress 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:08 Jun 29, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2996.IH
H2996
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
further finds that it should also be the purpose of the sup-
plemental nutrition assistance program to increase em-
ployment, to encourage healthy marriage, and to promote 
prosperous self-sufficiency, which means the ability of 
households to maintain an income above the poverty level 
without services and benefits from the Federal Govern-
ment.’’. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.— 
(1) FOOD.—Section 3(k) of the Food and Nu-
trition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012(k)) is amended 
by inserting before the period at the end the fol-
lowing: ‘‘, except that a food, food product, meal, or 
other item described in this subsection shall be con-
sidered a food under this Act only if it is an essen-
tial (as determined by the Secretary)’’. 
(2) SUPERVISED
JOB
SEARCH.—Section 3 of 
the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 
2012) is amended— 
(A) 
by 
redesignating 
subsections 
(t) 
through (v) as subsections (u) through (w), re-
spectively; and 
(B) by inserting after subsection (s) the 
following: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:08 Jun 29, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2996.IH
H2996
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
‘‘(t) SUPERVISED JOB SEARCH.—The term ‘super-
vised job search’ means a job search program that has 
the following characteristics: 
‘‘(1) The job search occurs at an official loca-
tion where the presence and activity of the recipient 
can be directly observed, supervised, and monitored. 
‘‘(2) The entry, time onsite, and exit of the re-
cipient from the official job search location are re-
corded in a manner that prevents fraud. 
‘‘(3) The recipient is expected to remain and 
undertake job search activities at the job search cen-
ter. 
‘‘(4) The quantity of time the recipient is ob-
served and monitored engaging in job search at the 
official location is recorded for purposes of compli-
ance with the work and work activation require-
ments of sections 6(o) and 30.’’. 
(c) 
WORK
REQUIREMENT
FOR
ABLE-BODIED 
ADULTS WITHOUT DEPENDENTS.—Section 6(o) of the 
Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2015(o)) is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
(A) by striking ‘‘not less than 3 months (con-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:08 Jun 29, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2996.IH
H2996
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
secutive or otherwise)’’ and inserting ‘‘more 
than 1 month’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (C) by striking ‘‘or’’ 
at the end; 
(C) in subparagraph (D) by striking the 
period at the end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 
(D) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(E) participate in supervised job search 
for at least 8 hours per week.’’; 
(2) in paragraph (4), by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(C) TERMINATION.—Subparagraph (A) 
shall not apply with respect to any fiscal year 
that begins after the date of the enactment of 
the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program 
Reform Act of 2017.’’; 
(3) in paragraph (6)— 
(A) in the paragraph heading by striking 
‘‘15-PERCENT’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘5-PER-
CENT’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (A)(ii)(IV) by striking 
‘‘3 months’’ and inserting ‘‘1 month’’; and 
(C) in subparagraph (D) by striking ‘‘15 
percent’’ and inserting ‘‘5 percent’’; and 
(4) by adding at the end the following: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:08 Jun 29, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2996.IH
H2996
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS