WASHINGTON – Today, Ranking Member of the Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture Subcommittee, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05), led the re-introduction of the Feed Hungry Veterans Act. The legislation aims to improve access to federal nutrition programs for disabled veterans. With nearly 1.4 million veterans, including more than a third of disabled veterans, facing food insecurity, providing long term access to food assistance is critical.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has found that rates of food insecurity are significantly higher among disabled veterans. Despite the widespread need, many eligible veterans do not participate in the life-stabilizing federal nutrition program. As a result, many who honorably served are at higher risk for hunger. Most concerning, veterans who report food insecurity have nearly four times higher levels of suicidal ideation than those who do not struggle with accessing food.
Under current Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) law, veterans are considered disabled if they receive U.S. Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation based on a 100-percent disability rating. This legislation would use VA disability standards to make SNAP more accessible for disabled veterans.
“We made a promise to our veterans that we would take care of them once they returned home. No veteran should ever go hungry in the United States,” said Ranking Member Hayes. “The Feed Hungry Veterans Act is a legislative solution inspired by the testimony of veterans to make common-sense changes to better connect them with SNAP – our most effective anti-hunger program. We have the opportunity to honor the courage and sacrifice of veterans by making it easier to put food on the table. This legislation could be life-changing for veteran communities.”
The Feed Hungry Veterans Act is co-led by Congressman David Scott (GA-13) and cosponsored by 51 Members of Congress.
“Providing veterans with the services they are entitled to is one of the most important responsibilities Congress is tasked with,” said Congressman David Scott. "The brave men and women who serve our country deserve the dignity of food security. I am proud to co-lead this bill with Congressman Hayes to ensure no veteran goes to bed hungry.”
Specifically, the Feed Hungry Veterans Act would:
- Amend the definition of “elderly or disabled” for SNAP to cover the following veterans:
- A veteran with one service-connected disability rated at 60% or higher or with two or more service-connected disabilities, at least one of which is rated 40% or higher and the combined rating is 70% or higher;
- A veteran who has been determined to be catastrophically disabled; and
- A veteran who is under 65 years old and receiving Veterans pension benefits.
- Permanently exempt veterans considered disabled under the revised definition above from SNAP work requirements. These work requirements are temporarily waived for veterans until 2030.
The Feed Hungry Veterans Act is cosponsored by Representatives Alma S. Adams, Ph.D (NC-12), Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Shontel Brown (OH-11), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Andre Carson (IN-07), Greg Casar (TX-35), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Jim Costa (CA-21), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Donald G. Davis (NC-01), Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-29), Daniel Goldman (NY-10), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Timothy M. Kennedy (NY-26), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Greg Landsman (OH-01), April McClain Delaney (MD-06), Morgan McGarvey (KY-03), Jim McGovern (MA-02), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Gwen S. Moore (WI-04), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Richard Neal (MA-01), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-00), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Scott Peters (CA-50), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Stacey E. Plaskett (VI-00), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Joshua Riley (NY-19), Deborah K. Ross (NC-02), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Linda Sanchez (CA-38), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), Adam Smith (WA-09), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), Dina Titus (NV-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Paul Tonko (NY-20), and Juan Vargas (CA-52).
Endorsing organizations: Alliance to End Hunger, AMVETS, Association of SNAP Nutrition Education Administrators (ASNNA), Black Veterans Empowerment Council, Blind Veterans Association, Blue Star Families, Bread for the World, Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), Connecticut Foodshare, End Hunger CT!, Fleet Reserve Association, Gold Star Spouses of America, MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, National Military Families Association (NMFA), Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), Service Women’s Action Network (SWAN), Tragedy Assistance Program For Survivors (TAPS), and Wheeler Clinic
Full bill text of the Feed Hungry Veterans Act is available here.