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Title 42 — The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73

§5179 Benefits and distribution

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 68— - DISASTER RELIEF › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER IV— - MAJOR DISASTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS › § 5179

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The President can order extra food help when a major disaster leaves low-income households unable to buy enough healthy food. He may set the rules and use the Secretary of Agriculture or other agencies to provide benefit allotments under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 of 1964 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) and to supply surplus food. He can keep giving this help as long as he thinks it is needed, considering things like how the disaster affected the households’ ability to earn money. This does not change other parts of the Food and Nutrition Act except for how supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) benefits are made available in disaster areas.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §5179

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Whenever the President determines that, as a result of a major disaster, low-income households are unable to purchase adequate amounts of nutritious food, he is authorized, under such terms and conditions as he may prescribe, to distribute through the Secretary of Agriculture or other appropriate agencies benefit allotments to such households pursuant to the provisions of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 of 1964 11 So in original. See 2008 Amendment note below. (P.L. 91–671; 84 Stat. 2048) [7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.] and to make surplus commodities available pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
(b)The President, through the Secretary of Agriculture or other appropriate agencies, is authorized to continue to make such benefit allotments and surplus commodities available to such households for so long as he determines necessary, taking into consideration such factors as he deems appropriate, including the consequences of the major disaster on the earning power of the households, to which assistance is made available under this section.
(c)Nothing in this section shall be construed as amending or otherwise changing the provisions of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 of 1964 1 [7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.] except as they relate to the availability of supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits in an area affected by a major disaster.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (c), is Pub. L. 88–525, Aug. 31, 1964, 78 Stat. 703, which is classified generally to chapter 51 (§ 2011 et seq.) of Title 7, Agriculture. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 2011 of Title 7 and Tables. This chapter, referred to in subsec. (a), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 93–288, May 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 143. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 5121 of this title and Tables. Codification Pub. L. 110–234 and Pub. L. 110–246 made identical

Amendments

to this section. The

Amendments

by Pub. L. 110–234 were repealed by section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 412 of Pub. L. 93–288 was renumbered section 415 by Pub. L. 100–707 and is classified to section 5182 of this title.

Amendments

2008—Pub. L. 110–246, § 4115(c)(1)(A)(iv), (B)(v), substituted “Benefits” for “Food coupons” in section catchline. Pub. L. 110–246, § 4002(b)(1)(C), (2)(DD), substituted “Food and Nutrition Act of 2008” for “Food Stamp Act” in subsecs. (a) and (c). Subsecs. (a), (b). Pub. L. 110–246, § 4115(c)(1)(A)(ii), (B)(v), substituted “benefit” for “coupon”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 110–246, § 4002(b)(1)(E), (2)(DD), substituted “supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits” for “food stamps”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2008 AmendmentAmendment of this section and repeal of Pub. L. 110–234 by Pub. L. 110–246 effective May 22, 2008, the date of enactment of Pub. L. 110–234, except as otherwise provided, see section 4 of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 8701 of Title 7, Agriculture. Amendment by section 4002(b)(1)(C), (E), (2)(DD), and 4115(c)(1)(A)(ii), (iv), (B)(v) of Pub. L. 110–246 effective Oct. 1, 2008, see section 4407 of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as a note under section 1161 of Title 2, The Congress. Executive Dcouments Delegation of Functions Secretary of Agriculture designated and empowered to exercise, without approval, ratification, or other action of President, all authority vested in President by this section concerning food coupons (benefits) and distribution, see section 3 of Ex. Ord. No. 11795, as amended, set out as a note under section 5121 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 5179

Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73