Emergency Relief for Hungry Families Act of 2025
Summary
The Emergency Relief for Hungry Families Act of 2025 aims to amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008. It seeks to exempt the discounting of food from equal treatment requirements during government shutdowns. This exemption would allow authorized retail food stores to offer incentives to SNAP participants without needing a waiver during periods when government appropriations have lapsed and SNAP benefits are reduced or halted.
Expected Effects
The act would permit retailers to offer discounts on food to SNAP recipients during government shutdowns without violating equal treatment regulations. This could provide immediate relief to families facing food insecurity due to disruptions in SNAP benefits. The change is intended to be temporary, applying only during covered periods as defined in the bill.
Potential Benefits
- Provides immediate food assistance to SNAP recipients during government shutdowns.
- Allows retailers to offer discounts without bureaucratic hurdles (waivers).
- Potentially reduces food insecurity and hardship for vulnerable families.
- Could stimulate local economies by encouraging food purchases.
- Offers a temporary solution to mitigate the impact of government shutdowns on food access.
Potential Disadvantages
- May create administrative complexities for retailers in implementing and tracking discounts.
- Potential for fraud or misuse of the exemption.
- Could disproportionately benefit certain retailers over others.
- Does not address the root cause of government shutdowns or SNAP benefit disruptions.
- The temporary nature of the solution may lead to uncertainty for both retailers and SNAP recipients.
Constitutional Alignment
The bill appears to align with the general welfare clause of the Constitution, as it aims to provide relief to hungry families during times of crisis. Specifically, the preamble states the Constitution is intended to "promote the general Welfare".
Congress's power to legislate in this area is derived from Article I, Section 8, which grants it the power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States. The bill does not appear to infringe on any specific constitutional rights or limitations.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).