S 1628119th CongressIntroduced

Improving Access to Nutrition Act of 2025

Introduced: May 6, 2025

Social Services

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

Improving Access to Nutrition Act of 2025 would repeal the current able-bodied adult without dependents (ABAWD) work requirement in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). By striking the specific provision that disqualifies certain adults from SNAP for not meeting work requirements, the bill aims to broaden eligibility and simplify program administration. The bill also makes a series of conforming and housekeeping amendments to the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 and related statutes to remove references to the repealed provision and to reorganize the affected sections. It includes findings about hunger, racial disparities, and the alleged ineffectiveness of work requirements, and sets an effective date of 180 days after enactment for the changes to take effect. In short, the bill positions SNAP as more broadly accessible by eliminating the ABAWD work disqualification, with the expectation that this would reduce barriers to participating in SNAP and potentially increase program costs but also generate economic activity through higher benefits flowing to households.

Key Points

1Repeals the ABAWD work requirement in SNAP by striking Section 6(o) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, and reassigns the remaining subsections (so the statute remains internally consistent).
2Implements conforming amendments across the Act and related laws (including provisions in the Internal Revenue Code and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) to remove references to the repealed work requirement.
3Provides findings highlighting hunger, racial disparities in food insecurity, and arguments that work requirements do not reduce poverty and can create barriers to access, particularly for Black, Hispanic, Native, homeless, and other vulnerable groups.
4Sets an effective date of 180 days after enactment for the changes to take effect.
5The bill is sponsored by a group of Democratic senators and was introduced in the Senate (S. 1628) with no enacted status yet; it would require passage by both chambers and signature by the president to become law.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected:- Able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWD) who currently face SNAP disqualification under the work requirement; broader SNAP-eligible households (including those with children, seniors, and people with disabilities) could see changes in eligibility rules and benefits.Secondary group/area affected:- States and local SNAP administering agencies, which would need to adjust policies, notices, and systems to remove the ABAWD-specific rules and references.- Workers and organizations involved in SNAP outreach and enrollment, who may see changes in workload and participant flows.Additional impacts:- Potential increase in SNAP participation and benefit expenditures due to fewer eligibility restrictions.- Possible economic stimulus effects from SNAP benefits circulating in communities (policy notes cite positive multipliers).- Administrative and regulatory changes across related programs and laws (as reflected in the conforming amendments to WIOA, the Internal Revenue Code, and other sections) to align with the removal of the work requirement.- Public policy considerations and debates about the effectiveness of work requirements on poverty reduction and treatment of vulnerable groups, as highlighted in the bill’s findings.

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