# 114-hr-5215: Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2016

114-hr-5215, Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2016, is a 114th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12] (D-NC); status Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition. (as of 2025-11-18).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-5215
- As of: 2025-11-18
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 114-hr-5215
- Congress: 114
- Title: Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2016
- Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition.
- Introduced: 2016-05-12
- Sponsor: Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12] (D-NC)
- Cosponsors: 12
- Policy area: Agriculture and Food
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2025-11-18

## Summary

Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2016 This bill amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to revise the requirements for calculating Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) benefits. The bill increases the minimum SNAP benefit and requires benefits to be calculated using a low-cost food plan. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must determine the requirements for the low-cost food plan, which is the diet required to feed a family of four, consisting of: a man and a woman 19-50 years of age, a child 6-8 years of age, and a child 9-11 years of age. USDA must make adjustments to the plan to account for household size, changes in the cost of the diet, and the costs of food in specified areas. The bill revises the amounts authorized for nutrition assistance block grants for Puerto Rico and American Samoa and requires the amounts to be modified based on adjustments to the low-cost food plan. The bill modifies the requirements for calculating household income to determine SNAP eligibility by: (1) authorizing a standard medical expense deduction for households containing an elderly or disabled member, and (2) eliminating the cap on the deduction for excess shelter expenses. The bill exempts from SNAP work requirements able-bodied adults without dependents who are not offered a position in a SNAP Employment and Training Program.

## Cosponsors (12)

- Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2] (D-MA), 2016-05-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Fudge, Marcia L. [D-OH-11] (D-OH), 2016-05-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. DeLauro, Rosa L. [D-CT-3] (D-CT), 2016-05-12T00:00:00.000Z
- JOHN CONYERS (D-MI), 2016-05-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4] (D-WI), 2016-05-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. Plaskett, Stacey E. [D-VI-At Large] (D-VI), 2016-05-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Maloney, Sean Patrick [D-NY-18] (D-NY), 2016-05-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Murphy, Patrick [D-FL-18] (D-FL), 2016-05-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lee, Barbara [D-CA-12] (D-CA), 2016-05-24T00:00:00.000Z
- RUBEN HINOJOSA (D-TX), 2016-05-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1] (D-WA), 2016-09-06T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2] (D-CA), 2016-09-09T00:00:00.000Z

## Related bills

- 114-hr-5044: Making supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2016 to respond to Zika virus.
- 114-hr-4479: Families of Flint Act
- 114-hr-3268: PAST Act
- 114-hr-2867: Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2015
- 114-hr-2722: Breast Cancer Awareness Commemorative Coin Act
- 114-hr-2150: Raise the Wage Act

## Sources
- [114-hr-5215 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/5215)

## Related
- [114-hr-5044: Making supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2016 to respond to Zika viru…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-5044)
- [114-hr-4479: Families of Flint Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-4479)
- [114-hr-3268: PAST Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-3268)
- [114-hr-2867: Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2015](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-2867)
- [114-hr-2722: Breast Cancer Awareness Commemorative Coin Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-2722)
- [114-hr-2150: Raise the Wage Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-2150)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-5215 (as of 2025-11-18).