Food Bank Emergency Support Act of 2025

Bill Number: H.R. 6271
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: 2026-05-16T08:07:43Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The Food Bank Emergency Support Act of 2025 aims to ensure continued operation of emergency food assistance programs during potential funding shortfalls or lapses for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, a federal program providing food benefits to low-income individuals and families). It provides backup funding to support food banks and related distribution efforts, preventing disruptions in food aid.

Key Provisions

Appropriation Amount: Allocates $462,500,000 from general Treasury funds (not otherwise designated) to support Section 27 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, which funds The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). These funds remain available until fully spent.
Conditions for Use: The funds become available if:
There are insufficient regular funds to fully operate SNAP without cutting benefit amounts.
The Secretary of Agriculture determines or certifies that budget resources are inadequate to deliver full SNAP benefits on time to all eligible households.
Availability During Lapses: Funds can be used even during a government shutdown (lapse in appropriations) or afterward, specifically to procure and distribute food commodities through TEFAP.
Exemption from Furloughs: Employees, officers, or contractors involved in TEFAP operations (such as ordering and distributing food) are exempt from mandatory furloughs during shutdowns. This exemption treats these activities as emergency services essential for protecting human life, under federal anti-deficiency laws (which generally prohibit spending during lapses).
Effective Date: The law takes effect retroactively, as if passed on September 30, 2025, to address immediate fiscal risks.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

Introduces targeted supplemental funding for TEFAP as a contingency for SNAP disruptions, which was not previously specified in such detail.
Explicitly allows TEFAP funding to bridge gaps during SNAP funding lapses, including shutdowns, expanding flexibility beyond standard appropriations.
Creates a new exemption for TEFAP personnel from furlough rules under 31 U.S.C. § 1342 (part of the Antideficiency Act, which restricts federal spending without appropriations), designating these roles as critical emergencies. This builds on but does not alter core SNAP or TEFAP statutes.

Potential Impacts

On Government Agencies: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which administers both SNAP and TEFAP, gains reliable funding to maintain food distribution networks without interruptions, reducing administrative burdens during fiscal crises.
On Citizens: Low-income households, particularly those facing food insecurity, benefit from uninterrupted access to emergency food supplies via food banks and pantries, potentially preventing hunger spikes during government funding delays.
On International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses solely on domestic food assistance programs.

Main Stakeholders Affected

Federal Agencies: Primarily the USDA, including its Food and Nutrition Service division.
Non-Profit and Community Organizations: Food banks, pantries, and emergency food providers that distribute TEFAP commodities.
Citizens: Eligible low-income individuals and families reliant on SNAP and TEFAP for nutritional support.
Congressional Committees: The House Committees on Appropriations and Agriculture, which oversee related funding and policy.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Legal: Strengthens compliance with federal anti-deficiency rules by carving out TEFAP as an "emergency" exception, potentially setting a precedent for prioritizing food security in future appropriations disputes. It does not expand eligibility or benefits but ensures operational continuity.
Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's power of the purse (Article I, Section 9) to appropriate funds, providing a safeguard against executive-branch funding gaps without raising separation-of-powers concerns.
Political: Introduced with bipartisan cosponsorship (from both parties), it signals cross-aisle consensus on food assistance as a non-partisan priority, potentially influencing shutdown negotiations by mitigating humanitarian risks. No major controversies are evident in the bill text itself.

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

Sponsor

Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6]

Cosponsors (23)

Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3], Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3], Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7], Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6], Rep. Fields, Cleo [D-LA-6], Rep. Figures, Shomari [D-AL-2], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Mannion, John W. [D-NY-22], Rep. Mfume, Kweisi [D-MD-7], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7], Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13], Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-4], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1], Rep. Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8], Rep. Elfreth, Sarah [D-MD-3], Rep. Morrison, Kelly [D-MN-3], Rep. Norcross, Donald [D-NJ-1], Rep. Rivas, Luz M. [D-CA-29], Rep. Walkinshaw, James R. [D-VA-11], Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9], Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1]

Recent Actions

2026-01-13: Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture.
2025-12-02: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H4977)
2025-11-21: Referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, 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 Appropriations, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, 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 Bank Emergency Support Act of 2025 — issued 2025-11-21 — PDF (3 pages)