To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to modify the definition of food.

Bill Number: H.R. 8403
Origin Chamber: House
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 2
Policy Area: Agriculture and Food
Status: Introduced
Latest Action: 2026-04-21: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Last Updated: 2026-06-11T12:57:52Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

This bill (H.R. 8403) aims to expand the types of items eligible for purchase using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits—commonly known as food stamps—by including hot rotisserie chicken in the definition of "food."

Key Provisions

Amends Section 3(k)(1) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012(k)(1)), which defines eligible "food" for SNAP.
Adds "hot rotisserie chicken and" to the list of authorized foods.
Makes minor technical updates to the language: replaces "clauses" with "paragraphs" and removes the phrase "of this subsection."

Significant Changes to Existing Law

Currently, SNAP benefits cannot be used for hot foods intended for immediate consumption (like prepared hot meals from delis), to focus benefits on groceries for home preparation.
This change explicitly allows hot rotisserie chicken (pre-cooked chickens sold warm and ready-to-eat at stores) as an eligible purchase, overriding the general exclusion for hot foods.

Potential Impacts

Citizens: SNAP participants (low-income individuals and families) gain access to a convenient, affordable protein source, potentially improving meal options without needing cooking facilities.
Government agencies: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which runs SNAP, may need minor updates to retailer guidance and point-of-sale systems to enforce the new eligibility.
No direct impact on international relations.
Overall, a small expansion of benefits, likely increasing program spending modestly as more items qualify.

Main Stakeholders Affected

SNAP recipients: Primarily low-income households who rely on benefits for food.
Grocery retailers: Stores like Walmart or supermarkets selling rotisserie chickens, who can now accept SNAP for these items (boosting sales).
USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS): Oversees SNAP implementation and compliance.
Taxpayers: Indirectly, through slight increases in federal SNAP expenditures.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Legal: Straightforward amendment to an existing statute; no challenges to SNAP's core structure or funding authority.
Constitutional: None apparent; aligns with Congress's spending power under Article I.
Political: Bipartisan sponsorship (Republican lead with Democratic co-sponsors) suggests broad support for practical SNAP tweaks; could set precedent for further exceptions to the "hot foods" ban, sparking debate on benefit scope versus fraud prevention.

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

Sponsor

Rep. Crawford, Eric A. "Rick" [R-AR-1]

Cosponsors (26)

Rep. McDonald Rivet, Kristen [D-MI-8], Rep. Westerman, Bruce [R-AR-4], Rep. Figures, Shomari [D-AL-2], Rep. Moore, Barry [R-AL-1], Rep. Wied, Tony [R-WI-8], Rep. McGarvey, Morgan [D-KY-3], Rep. Sorensen, Eric [D-IL-17], Rep. Womack, Steve [R-AR-3], Rep. Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3], Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-21], Rep. Harris, Mark [R-NC-8], Rep. Kiggans, Jennifer A. [R-VA-2], Rep. McBride, Sarah [D-DE-At Large], Rep. Moran, Nathaniel [R-TX-1], Rep. Moore, Blake D. [R-UT-1], Rep. Harris, Andy [R-MD-1], Rep. Vasquez, Gabe [D-NM-2], Rep. Evans, Gabe [R-CO-8], Rep. Moore, Riley M. [R-WV-2], Rep. Palmer, Gary J. [R-AL-6], Rep. Guest, Michael [R-MS-3], Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7], Rep. Gimenez, Carlos A. [R-FL-28], Rep. Sykes, Emilia Strong [D-OH-13], Rep. Hurd, Jeff [R-CO-3], Rep. Cline, Ben [R-VA-6]

Recent Actions

2026-04-21: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
2026-04-21: Introduced in House
2026-04-21: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to modify the definition of food. — issued 2026-04-21 — PDF (2 pages)