Food Assurance and Security Act

Bill Number

H.R. 6252

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Agriculture and Food

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-01-13: Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture.

Last Updated

2026-05-16T08:07:14Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Food Assurance and Security Act (H.R. 6252) aims to ensure consistent, annual tracking of food insecurity and hunger in the United States by requiring federal agencies to collect, analyze, and report standardized data. This helps policymakers understand and address issues like limited access to nutritious food due to financial constraints.

Key Provisions

• Interagency Program Establishment: The Secretary of Agriculture, working with the Director of the Census Bureau, must create and maintain a program to coordinate yearly data collection, analysis, and reporting on food insecurity and hunger.
• Survey Integration: The Census Bureau's Current Population Survey (a regular national household survey) must include a "food security supplement" starting in 2026 and continuing annually. This supplement uses questions similar to those from 2023, with any changes requiring testing, public input, and approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB, the office that oversees federal data collection).
• Specific Survey Questions: The supplement includes detailed questions about experiences over the past 12 months, such as:
• Worrying about food running out before money is available.
• Food not lasting and lacking money to buy more.
• Inability to afford balanced meals.
• Cutting meal sizes, skipping meals, feeling hungry but not eating, losing weight, or going a full day without eating due to cost—for adults and, if applicable, children (ages 0-17).
• For households with children: Relying on limited low-cost foods, children not eating enough, or skipping meals.
• Follow-up questions on frequency (e.g., almost every month, some months, or rarely).
• Reporting Requirements: The Secretary of Agriculture must:
• Incorporate survey findings into an annual report.
• Publish the report on the Department of Agriculture's website.
• Submit it to Congress.
• Funding: Provides federal funding ("such sums as necessary") to the Secretary of Agriculture, who will reimburse the Census Bureau for survey costs.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Builds on prior practices by making the food security supplement a mandatory, ongoing annual feature of the Current Population Survey, rather than occasional (e.g., it was included in 2023 but not guaranteed yearly before).
• Standardizes questions to prevent major alterations without rigorous review, ensuring data consistency over time.
• Introduces dedicated appropriations and interagency coordination specifically for this program, which were not explicitly required previously.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: Enhances coordination between the Department of Agriculture and Census Bureau, potentially improving efficiency in data handling and resource allocation for anti-hunger initiatives. It may increase administrative workload for survey design and reporting but provides clearer metrics for evaluating federal programs like SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).
• Citizens: Offers better-informed policies to combat food insecurity, particularly for low-income families, children, and vulnerable groups, by enabling more targeted support and awareness of hunger trends.
• International Relations: No direct impacts mentioned; the focus is domestic data collection.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Federal Agencies: Department of Agriculture (leads reporting and funding) and Census Bureau (conducts surveys).
• Policymakers: Congress, which receives annual reports to guide legislation on food assistance.
• Citizens and Communities: Households facing food insecurity, especially those with children, as data could influence program eligibility and funding.
• Advocacy Groups: Organizations focused on hunger relief, nutrition, and poverty, which can use the public data for research and campaigns.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Authorizes appropriations without a fixed amount, relying on congressional budgeting processes; ensures compliance with data privacy laws through OMB clearance. The bill's referral to committees on Agriculture and Oversight suggests scrutiny on implementation and accountability.
• Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's spending power (Article I) to fund social welfare data collection, promoting general welfare without infringing on individual rights.
• Political: Promotes evidence-based policymaking on a bipartisan issue (introduced by representatives from both parties), potentially reducing debates over hunger statistics by standardizing them. It could influence future budgets for social programs but may face challenges if funding is deemed insufficient.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1]

Cosponsors (8)

Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44], Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26], Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42], Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37], Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1], Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5]

Recent Actions

• 2026-01-13: Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture.
• 2025-11-21: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-11-21: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-11-21: Introduced in House
• 2025-11-21: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Food Assurance and Security Act — issued 2025-11-21 — PDF (6 pages)