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119-hr-5129119th CongressWALLET

Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Representative Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12]

In Committee

Summary

Use a new “low‑cost food plan” to set SNAP benefit levels. The bill would replace the current thrifty food plan with a low‑cost food plan and change how allotments, deductions, and eligibility mechanics are calculated and updated.

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  • Families and households: Would tie monthly allotments to a 4‑person low‑cost food plan and scale per household size. The market basket must be reevaluated by December 31, 2029 and every five years, with annual cost updates using the prior June’s prices.
  • People with high medical or housing costs: Would create a standard medical deduction of $140 for 2023 and index it to the medical CPI going forward. It would also remove the cap on excess shelter expenses so more housing costs can reduce countable income.
  • Program operations and payments: Would raise a proviso funding cap from 8% to 10% and set quality‑control adjustments tied to the new plan, including a 2023 adjustment not greater than $50. The bill also inserts a specific $35,000,000 commodity figure for 2023 and updates many cross‑references across the statute.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Bigger SNAP deductions for households

If enacted, the bill would add a standard medical deduction option for elderly or disabled SNAP members. The standard would be $140 for fiscal year 2023 and then change each year by the 12-month change in the CPI-U: Medical Care ending the prior June 30. A State could set a larger standard for a year if the Secretary’s cost-neutral rules allow it. The bill would also remove the statutory cap on excess shelter expense deductions so households with high housing costs could claim larger shelter deductions.

SNAP time-limit repeal for adults

If enacted, the bill would repeal the SNAP statutory time limit that limits benefits for certain able-bodied adults without dependents. The repeal would strike the time-limit subsection, renumber related subsections, and update multiple cross-references across other laws. People who lost eligibility only because of that time limit would be able to regain SNAP, subject to administrative rules.

New SNAP allotment and funding rules

If enacted, the bill would replace the "thrifty food plan" with a new "low-cost food plan" as the basis for SNAP allotments. The low-cost plan would be defined using a 4-person reference family and republished by December 31, 2029 and every 5 years after. Each October 1, allotments would update using prices from the prior June and round down to the next lower dollar. The law would also raise one funding proviso from 8% to 10%, set FY2023 commodity funding using the low-cost plan change plus an extra $35,000,000, and change SNAP quality-control dollar rules (FY2023 limit not greater than $50 and a defined FY2024 adjustment).

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12]

NC • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 9/4/2025

  • Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]

    CT • D

    Sponsored 9/4/2025

  • Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 9/4/2025

  • Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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