H.R. 1398 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the House, sent to the Committee on Agriculture, Feb 18, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryNew limits on SNAP benefits out-of-state use
This bill adds two new rules for the food assistance program known as SNAP. First, if someone uses their SNAP benefits card only outside their home state for more than 60 days straight, their benefits get suspended until they prove they still live in that state. Second, people can no longer use SNAP benefits to buy food from stores they personally own, though this doesn't apply to stores owned by big corporations or government entities.
How it affects you
If you receive SNAP benefits, this affects you if you travel or move around a lot out of state—you'd need to show proof of where you live to keep your benefits active. If you own a small grocery store or food business and receive SNAP yourself, you wouldn't be able to use your own benefits to shop at your own store. Most SNAP recipients who stay in their home state or shop at regular stores wouldn't see changes.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Feb 18, 2025)
Securing Strictly Needy Americans’ Pivotal (SNAP) Benefits Act of 2025
This bill establishes additional limitations on the use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
The bill requires that a state agency suspend a SNAP household account when the Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card transactions are made exclusively out-of-state for a period longer than 60 days. The state agency must maintain the suspension until (1) the household affirmatively provides substantiating evidence that the participating household members still reside in the state from which they receive benefits, or (2) an investigation conclusively determines that the participating household members still reside in the state from which they receive benefits.
In addition, a SNAP household may not redeem SNAP benefits at a SNAP-approved retail food store or wholesale food concern that is owned by a household member. This does not apply to a retail food store or a wholesale food concern that is owned by a publicly owned corporation or a government.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 1398
A BILL
Securing Strictly Needy Americans’ Pivotal (SNAP) Benefits Act of 2025
Sponsor: Rep. David Rouzer (R-NC-7) · Introduced Feb 18, 2025 · Agriculture and Food · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Mar 20, 2025: “Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture.”