Increasing Access to SNAP Delivery During COVID–19 Act of 2020
Latest action (14 May 2020): Introduced
What this bill does
S. 3736, the Increasing Access to SNAP Delivery During COVID-19 Act of 2020, would direct the Secretary of Agriculture to expand food delivery options for participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the coronavirus pandemic. The bill would require USDA to inform retailers about existing delivery methods, such as swiping EBT cards on mobile devices or preparing food for pickup, and to authorize public-private partnerships with community organizations to support delivery. States would be required to submit plans for administering delivery and reimbursement systems, which USDA would have to approve or deny within 10 days.
The bill mainly affects SNAP participants—particularly seniors, immunocompromised people, and others unable to safely travel to stores—by making it easier for them to receive food deliveries. It also affects authorized retailers, who could be reimbursed (up to $10 per delivery) for delivery costs if they meet conditions such as paying workers at least minimum wage, providing COVID-19 safety training, remaining neutral in union organizing efforts, and limiting personal protective equipment reimbursement to 10% of funds received. The bill appropriates $500 million for these reimbursements and authorizes additional funds as needed, with unspent money returned to the Treasury once the national or state COVID-19 emergency ends. USDA would also be required to report to Congress afterward on how the program was used.
The bill was introduced in the Senate on May 14, 2020, by Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), with Senators Baldwin and Smith as cosponsors, and was referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. It has not received a vote and, having been introduced in the 116th Congress, did not advance before that Congress ended.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Increasing Access to SNAP Delivery During COVID-19 Act of 2020
This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to increase access to food delivery under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) national emergency.
Specifically, the bill
• requires USDA to notify authorized program retailers of existing opportunities through which they can deliver food to SNAP participants, including allowing an electronic benefit transfer card to be swiped on delivery of food to the home (with a mobile device);
• authorizes public-private partnerships between USDA, authorized program retailers, and community-based organizations to support food delivery, including through the use of private funds;
• provides funding, which USDA must use to reimburse certain retailers for the costs of delivering food to program participants who are seniors, immunocompromised individuals, or other individuals who are unable to travel safely to a program retailer; and
• requires each state to submit a plan that describes how it will coordinate with program retailers and community-based partners to expand delivery, administer reimbursements, and ensure retailers meet eligibility requirements.
Authority for USDA to carry out the bill with respect to each state shall terminate on the later of (1) the date on which the national emergency declared by the President with respect to COVID-19 is terminated, and (2) the date on which the state emergency declared in such state with respect to COVID-19 is terminated.
Common questions
- What does S. 3736 do?
- S. 3736, the Increasing Access to SNAP Delivery During COVID-19 Act of 2020, would direct the Secretary of Agriculture to expand food delivery options for participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the coronavirus pandemic. The bill would require USDA to inform retailers about existing delivery methods, such as swiping EBT cards on mobile devices or preparing food for pickup, and to authorize public-private partnerships with community organizations to support delivery. States would be required to submit plans for administering delivery and reimbursement systems, which USDA would have to approve or deny within 10 days. The bill mainly affects SNAP participants—particularly seniors, immunocompromised people, and others unable to safely travel to stores—by making it easier for them to receive food deliveries. It also affects authorized retailers, who could be reimbursed (up to $10 per delivery) for delivery costs if they meet conditions such as paying workers at least minimum wage, providing COVID-19 safety training, remaining neutral in union organizing efforts, and limiting personal protective equipment reimbursement to 10% of funds received. The bill appropriates $500 million for these reimbursements and authorizes additional funds as needed, with unspent money returned to the Treasury once the national or state COVID-19 emergency ends. USDA would also be required to report to Congress afterward on how the program was used. The bill was introduced in the Senate on May 14, 2020, by Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), with Senators Baldwin and Smith as cosponsors, and was referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. It has not received a vote and, having been introduced in the 116th Congress, did not advance before that Congress ended.
- Has S. 3736 become law?
- Not yet. As of 14 May 2020, S. 3736 is introduced.
- Who sponsored S. 3736?
- S. 3736 was sponsored by Sen. Robert “Bob” Casey [D-PA, 2007-2024] (Democrat-PA), with 3 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on S. 3736?
- Introduced (14 May 2020).
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