Referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and Education and Workforce, 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.
The SNAP BACK Act ensures that food assistance programs continue without interruption during budget disputes or delays in federal funding. Specifically, it requires the Department of Agriculture to immediately release all appropriated funds for SNAP (the supplemental nutrition assistance program, formerly food stamps) and WIC (a program serving low-income pregnant women, new mothers, and young children), and prohibits any federal or state official from withholding these funds, freezing enrollment, or suspending benefits for any reason not explicitly authorized by law. The bill guarantees that eligible individuals receive benefits within five days of funding becoming available and mandates that Electronic Benefit Transfer card systems remain fully operational at all times. Additionally, it requires the federal government to reimburse any state or tribe that uses its own emergency funds to maintain these programs during federal funding lapses. The automatic appropriations and protections apply to fiscal year 2026 and all subsequent years when Congress has not yet passed a full budget or continuing resolution.
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