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119-hr-6657119th CongressWALLET

Restaurant Meals Program Reform Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Representative Messmer, Mark B. [R-IN-8]

In Committee

Summary

Restricts which retailers and meals qualify in the Restaurant Meals Program. The bill narrows participation to grocery-style retail food stores with prepared-food counters, sets a simple nutrition minimum for redeemable meals, excludes spouses of SNAP recipients, and requires public reporting on participation and costs.

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  • Families: Households can only redeem benefits at qualifying retail food stores for meals intended for immediate consumption that contain at least 1 fruit or vegetable and 1 protein.
  • Spouses: A spouse of a person eligible for SNAP is explicitly barred from using the program under this subsection.
  • Retailers: Grocery-style stores with prepared-food sections will not need a separate authorization to participate but must meet State and local grocery food-safety rules and not be primarily fast-food.
  • State agencies: Agencies must maintain or update Electronic Benefit Transfer coding and retailer codes to limit redemptions to eligible households and eligible meal items.
  • Public oversight: States must publish a report naming participating establishments, their locations, amounts redeemed, numbers of recipients, program costs, and an assessment of effectiveness.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

Stricter rules for SNAP restaurant meals

If enacted, this bill would change who can use SNAP benefits at restaurants and which stores can accept them. A spouse of a SNAP-eligible person would not be allowed to use the Restaurant Meals Program under this subsection. Benefits could only be redeemed for prepared meals meant to be eaten right away that contain at least one fruit or vegetable and at least one protein (protein defined by the Secretary). Only retail food stores with a prepared-food section, hot bar, or deli counter could participate, and stores primarily selling quick-service or fast-food items could be barred. A store already authorized under section 9 would not need a separate authorization to join. The Secretary would require State agencies to keep EBT card and retailer codes updated to restrict redemptions to eligible households. The Secretary would also send a public report to the Senate listing participating stores, redemptions, participant counts, costs, and program effectiveness.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Messmer, Mark B. [R-IN-8]

IN • R

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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