Chavez-DeRemer: Boost SNAP Recipients’ Access to Healthy Foods

Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05)
Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05) recently joined Rep. Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05) to introduce bipartisan, bicameral legislation that seeks to boost access to healthy foods for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients. Currently, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) does not gather data on how SNAP impacts access to nutritious food. The SNAP Nutrition Security Act would add reporting requirements to help the federal government better understand the affordability of these foods and how to improve access to nutritious produce.

“I’ve had the opportunity to visit food banks across the 5th District to learn more about their efforts to combat hunger. I’m incredibly grateful for the work they do to serve Oregonians in need, and I want to do my part at the federal level to improve access to healthy food options for these families,” Chavez-DeRemer said. “I’m honored to help lead this bipartisan and bicameral proposal, which would inform future decisions to provide more healthy and affordable options to SNAP recipients.”

Specifically, the SNAP Nutrition Security Act would:

– Add reporting on nutrition to the USDA’s existing and annual reporting. For the first time, this would provide clear-cut data on how SNAP impacts nutrition – providing the tools to improve access and affordability of nutritious food for children, seniors, and families in need.
– Require an anonymized SNAP sales report every four years to understand the affordability of foods and what types of products are typically purchased with SNAP resources.
– Boost transparency for federal programs to help struggling children and families access healthier foods.

Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.).

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