Food for Families in Crisis Act of 2020
Latest action (5 May 2020): Introduced
What this bill does
H.R. 6722, the Food for Families in Crisis Act of 2020, would tie certain federal nutrition assistance programs—including SNAP, block grants for Puerto Rico and American Samoa, and territorial nutrition block grants—to national unemployment data. The Bureau of Labor Statistics would be required to determine and publish, in its monthly employment reports, whether an "elevated unemployment period" exists, based on specified changes in the national unemployment rate. During any such period, the bill would automatically waive certain SNAP work requirements, increase benefit calculations (including raising the value used to calculate benefits and setting a higher minimum benefit), and provide additional state administrative funding. It would also block implementation of three specific SNAP-related regulatory proposals from 2019, modify categorical eligibility rules, waive a cost-share requirement for a program serving Indian reservations, and set procedural rules for handling errors and benefit overpayments tied to the increases.
The bill primarily affects SNAP recipients and applicants, state agencies that administer SNAP, the Department of Agriculture, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and residents of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands who receive nutrition block grants.
The bill was introduced on May 5, 2020, by Rep. Joe Neguse and referred to the House Committees on Agriculture and on Education and Labor. It has not received a vote, and as a bill from the 116th Congress that ended in January 2021, it did not become law.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Food for Families in Crisis Act of 2020
This bill revises the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) during an elevated unemployment period in the United States. Additionally, the bill directs the Bureau of Labor Statistics to include in each monthly employment situation report it publishes a specific determination of whether an elevated unemployment period is in existence in the United States.
During an elevated unemployment period, the bill (1) eliminates work requirements under SNAP, (2) increases benefits under SNAP, (3) revises eligibility requirements under SNAP to ensure the use of a broad-based categorical eligibility, and (4) requires the Department of Agriculture to make $150 million (adjusted for inflation) available for the costs of state administrative expenses associated with carrying out this bill and administering SNAP.
The bill waives the non-federal share requirement to carry out activities for the food distribution program on Indian reservations.
The bill also prohibits funding from being used to implement certain rules related to SNAP, including the final rule titled Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Requirements for Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents, published on December 5, 2019.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 6722 do?
- H.R. 6722, the Food for Families in Crisis Act of 2020, would tie certain federal nutrition assistance programs—including SNAP, block grants for Puerto Rico and American Samoa, and territorial nutrition block grants—to national unemployment data. The Bureau of Labor Statistics would be required to determine and publish, in its monthly employment reports, whether an "elevated unemployment period" exists, based on specified changes in the national unemployment rate. During any such period, the bill would automatically waive certain SNAP work requirements, increase benefit calculations (including raising the value used to calculate benefits and setting a higher minimum benefit), and provide additional state administrative funding. It would also block implementation of three specific SNAP-related regulatory proposals from 2019, modify categorical eligibility rules, waive a cost-share requirement for a program serving Indian reservations, and set procedural rules for handling errors and benefit overpayments tied to the increases. The bill primarily affects SNAP recipients and applicants, state agencies that administer SNAP, the Department of Agriculture, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and residents of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands who receive nutrition block grants. The bill was introduced on May 5, 2020, by Rep. Joe Neguse and referred to the House Committees on Agriculture and on Education and Labor. It has not received a vote, and as a bill from the 116th Congress that ended in January 2021, it did not become law.
- Has H.R. 6722 become law?
- Not yet. As of 5 May 2020, H.R. 6722 is introduced.
- Who sponsored H.R. 6722?
- H.R. 6722 was sponsored by Rep. Joe Neguse [D-CO2] (Democrat-CO), with 26 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 6722?
- Introduced (5 May 2020).
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