Congresswoman Kelly, Davis, Frankel Reintroduce Expanding SNAP Options Act

Press Release

Today, Congresswoman Robin Kelly, along with Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL) and fellow Illinois Representative Rodney Davis, reintroduced the Expanding SNAP Options Act to keep Americans safe during the pandemic by creating an easily accessible system for online SNAP purchases.

The Expanding SNAP Options Act would provide funding for the creation of a universal online and app-based portal that will make it easy to access nutritious foods from a wider range of SNAP retailers, including small businesses.

The Senate companion bill was introduced by Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth.

"The ongoing crisis has caused a heartbreaking rise in food insecurity throughout the country, with a disproportionate impact on low-income families and communities of color," Congresswoman Kelly said. "By expanding online SNAP purchasing, we're bringing the program into the 21st Century and ensuring families can access healthy, nutritious food while staying safe during the pandemic. We're also ensuring that more small, local vendors are brought into the program."

"Tackling hunger is as important now as ever as many struggle amidst the Coronavirus pandemic. This bipartisan bill would create a single online destination for SNAP recipients to go to access a wide range of nutritious foods," Congressman Davis said. "Additionally, this legislation will ensure more small, local businesses are able to reach those utilizing SNAP."

"Expanding online food assistance programs is a common-sense, bipartisan action we can take right now to immediately help families get access to healthy, nutritious food, while keeping themselves and their loved ones safe during this pandemic," said Rep. Frankel.

Online SNAP purchasing is currently limited to a very small number of approved large retailers due to the existing program's technological and financial barriers, leaving out many small retailers. While many Americans have used grocery store pick-up and delivery services to keep safe during the pandemic, Americans relying on SNAP have faced barriers with online and delivery food services.

The Expanding SNAP Options Act would address hunger needs during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond through the following:

Require the Secretary of Agriculture to implement online SNAP purchasing in all states;
Provide $25 million to develop and maintain a secure, easy-to-use online and app-based portal for EBT redemption to support smaller retailers in offering products for online SNAP purchasing and;
Provide $75 million for the creation of a USDA Technical Assistance Center to facilitate online purchasing and use of the portal for smaller retailers, direct-to-consumer farmers, and farmers' markets, and provide public information about which local vendors participate in SNAP online purchasing.
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