Emergency Ensuring Access to SNAP (EATS) Act of 2020
The source supplies the latest action, but no lifecycle stage.
Latest action (13 Aug 2020): Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations.
What this bill does
H.R. 6565, the Emergency Ensuring Access to SNAP (EATS) Act of 2020, was introduced in the House on April 21, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill would temporarily suspend the restrictions in federal law—specifically the student-eligibility limits under Section 6(e) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008—that normally make many college students ineligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
Under the bill, this suspension would begin the month after enactment and continue through the end of the month following either the termination of the federal COVID-19 public health emergency declaration or the end of the first college term after that emergency ends, whichever comes later. In practical terms, this would allow more low-income college students—who are otherwise often disqualified from SNAP due to student status—to receive benefits during the specified period.
The bill primarily affects low-income college students seeking food assistance and the administration of the SNAP program during the pandemic emergency window. It was sponsored by Rep. Jimmy Gomez along with numerous cosponsors and referred to the House Committee on Agriculture. As of the latest available information, the bill had been introduced but had not received a vote or further action, meaning its future consideration in Congress remains uncertain.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Emergency Ensuring Access to SNAP (EATS) Act of 2020
This bill temporarily suspends eligibility requirements for certain students under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) during a public health emergency declaration due to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019), allowing students enrolled at least half-time in an institution of higher education who would have lost eligibility due to such requirements to continue to receive SNAP benefits.
Timeline
13 Aug 2020
Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 6565 do?
- H.R. 6565, the Emergency Ensuring Access to SNAP (EATS) Act of 2020, was introduced in the House on April 21, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill would temporarily suspend the restrictions in federal law—specifically the student-eligibility limits under Section 6(e) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008—that normally make many college students ineligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Under the bill, this suspension would begin the month after enactment and continue through the end of the month following either the termination of the federal COVID-19 public health emergency declaration or the end of the first college term after that emergency ends, whichever comes later. In practical terms, this would allow more low-income college students—who are otherwise often disqualified from SNAP due to student status—to receive benefits during the specified period. The bill primarily affects low-income college students seeking food assistance and the administration of the SNAP program during the pandemic emergency window. It was sponsored by Rep. Jimmy Gomez along with numerous cosponsors and referred to the House Committee on Agriculture. As of the latest available information, the bill had been introduced but had not received a vote or further action, meaning its future consideration in Congress remains uncertain.
- Has H.R. 6565 become law?
- The source does not supply a confirmed lifecycle stage for H.R. 6565. Check the latest action and official source below.
- Who sponsored H.R. 6565?
- H.R. 6565 was sponsored by Rep. Gomez, Jimmy [D-CA-34] (D-CA), with 28 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 6565?
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations. (13 Aug 2020).
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