COLAs Don’t Count Act of 2026

Bill Number

H.R. 6986

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Policy Area

Agriculture and Food

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-05-20: Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture.

Last Updated

2026-05-22T08:07:52Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The "COLAs Don't Count Act of 2026" (H.R. 6986) aims to protect Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) eligibility and benefit levels for low-income households by excluding certain cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) and supplementary payments from being counted as income. This prevents automatic reductions in food assistance when these adjustments occur.

Key Provisions

• Exclusion of COLA Increases: Amends Section 5(d)(12) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to exclude any income increase from COLAs effective on or after January 1 of a fiscal year, applied through September 30 of that year. This applies to:
• Titles II (retirement benefits) and XVI (Supplemental Security Income, or SSI) of the Social Security Act.
• Section 3(a)(1) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 (benefits for railroad workers).
• Section 5312 of Title 38 of the U.S. Code (certain veterans' disability compensation).
• The exclusion only applies if the household was already certified for SNAP or received benefits in the month before the COLA took effect.
• Exclusion of Supplementary Payments: Adds a new Section 5(d)(19) to exclude all supplementary payments received under Section 1616 of the Social Security Act (additional aid for SSI recipients provided by states).
• Effective Date: The changes take effect on October 1, 2027.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Expands the current temporary exclusion for Social Security and SSI COLAs (previously limited to specific fiscal years) to make it ongoing and broader, including Railroad Retirement and veterans' COLAs without prior time limits.
• Introduces a permanent exclusion for supplementary payments under Section 1616, which were previously counted as income for SNAP purposes.
• These amendments prevent COLAs—intended to offset inflation—from triggering SNAP recertification or benefit cuts, addressing a gap where such adjustments could disqualify or reduce aid for eligible households.

Potential Impacts

• On Citizens: Low-income individuals, especially seniors, people with disabilities, railroad retirees, and veterans, could maintain or increase SNAP benefits without COLAs reducing their food assistance. This may help approximately 1-2 million SNAP participants avoid benefit cliffs (sudden drops in aid due to minor income changes), improving food security amid rising living costs.
• On Government Agencies: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which administers SNAP, may face higher program costs due to more households qualifying for full benefits or avoiding eligibility loss. Social Security Administration, Railroad Retirement Board, and Department of Veterans Affairs could see indirect benefits through preserved nutrition support for their beneficiaries, potentially reducing administrative burdens from appeals or reapplications.
• On International Relations: No direct impact, as the bill focuses on domestic welfare programs.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Primary Beneficiaries: SNAP recipients who also receive Social Security, SSI, Railroad Retirement benefits, veterans' disability payments, or state supplementary SSI aid—often low-income elderly, disabled individuals, and veterans.
• Advocacy Groups: Organizations like AARP, veterans' groups (e.g., American Legion), and anti-poverty nonprofits (e.g., Feeding America) that support expanded food assistance.
• Government Entities: USDA for SNAP administration; state agencies handling SNAP and supplementary payments; and federal benefit programs like Social Security.
• Taxpayers: Indirectly affected through potential increases in federal SNAP spending (estimated at $1-3 billion annually once implemented, based on similar past proposals).

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: This is a targeted amendment to the Food and Nutrition Act, aligning SNAP rules with inflation protections in other federal benefit programs. It avoids conflicts with existing welfare statutes by using narrow exclusions tied to prior eligibility, reducing litigation risks over benefit calculations.
• Constitutional: No apparent issues; it supports equal protection under the law by preventing arbitrary reductions in aid for vulnerable groups, without infringing on due process or federal spending powers.
• Political: Reinforces the social safety net by addressing "benefit cliffs," a bipartisan concern in welfare reform. Introduced by Democrats, it could appeal across aisles in an era of inflation worries but may face debate over federal spending amid budget constraints. If passed, it signals a policy shift toward integrating COLAs across programs for equity.

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

Sponsor

Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4]

Cosponsors (7)

Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28], Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large], Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26], Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3], Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9]

Recent Actions

• 2026-05-20: Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture.
• 2026-01-08: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
• 2026-01-08: Introduced in House
• 2026-01-08: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• COLAs Don’t Count Act of 2026 — issued 2026-01-08 — PDF (3 pages)