Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2025
Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2025 would overhaul how SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits are calculated and administered. The core change is to shift the basis for benefit calculations from the current “thrifty” food plan to a newly defined “low-cost food plan,” including a formal definition of that plan, a schedule for reevaluating its cost, and geographic adjustments (notably for Hawaii and Alaska). The bill also expands who can receive benefits by eliminating the time limit that can restrict Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs) from receiving benefits after a certain period, and it broadens how certain deductions are treated (notably medical and shelter costs). In addition, it increases certain benefit-related parameters (such as the share of the plan’s cost used in benefit calculations) and makes a set of conforming amendments to ensure all references and program rules align with the new low-cost plan framework. Overall, the bill aims to recalibrate SNAP to a lower-cost baseline while expanding eligibility and the use of deductions, potentially increasing access or benefits for some households (especially those with high medical or housing costs) and ultimately changing program administration and costs.
Key Points
- 1Calculation basis and reevaluation:
- 2- Defines a “low-cost food plan” for a four-person household (two adults aged 19-50, a 6-8 year-old, and a 9-11 year-old) as the baseline diet used to determine SNAP allotments.
- 3- Requires ongoing reevaluation of the low-cost plan’s market baskets by December 31, 2029, and every five years thereafter, using current food prices, diet data, and guidance.
- 4- Enables household-size adjustments and geographic cost adjustments (Hawaii and Alaska) and annual cost updates (each October 1, reflecting the prior June prices and rounding down to the nearest dollar).
- 5Value of allotment and program adjustments:
- 6- Replaces references to the “thrifty food plan” with the “low-cost food plan” in benefit calculations.
- 7- In the proviso, increases the percentage used in the calculation from 8 percent to 10 percent, effectively altering how the low-cost plan cost feeds into benefit amounts.
- 8Deductions and shelter costs:
- 9- Expands income deductions by creating a standard medical expense deduction, indexed to CPI and adjusted annually; states may set higher medical deductions if cost-neutral.
- 10- Eliminates the cap on excess shelter expenses, allowing higher shelter-related deductions (e.g., for housing costs) to be counted toward benefits.
- 11Time limits and eligibility:
- 12- Eliminates the time limit on ABAWDs, removing the rule that previously restricted how long certain able-bodied adults could receive SNAP benefits without meeting work or other requirements.
- 13Conforming amendments and administration:
- 14- Renames and aligns references from the “thrifty food plan” to the “low-cost food plan” across the statute and related provisions.
- 15- Updates the Quality Control System references and other cross-references to reflect the new framework, including adjustments to related sections and matching provisions in other federal acts.