WASHINGTON - The House voted on Thursday to pass the Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act, which would make the supermarket rotisserie chickens an eligible purchase under the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program.
What we know:
The bipartisan bill passed with a vote of 384-35.
"America’s best (and delicious) affordability play is Costco’s $4.99 rotisserie chicken," said Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, who joined Republican Sen. Jim Justice of West Virginia and others in sponsoring the bill earlier in April. "It’s one of my family’s favorites, and I’m proud to join this bill with Sen. Justice for all to try. SNAP funds would be well spent to feed our nation’s families who need it."
The measure will then head to the Senate for consideration.
The backstory:
The SNAP program provides a monthly stipend for low-income families to buy groceries – but it doesn’t pay for hot prepared foods, like rotisserie chickens. The exclusion, which dates back decades, was meant to promote home cooking. But critics say it’s outdated and penalizes families that are already struggling to make ends meet, excluding convenient and nutritious options.
Lawmakers at the state and federal level have long debated which foods should be eligible for SNAP benefits. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has pressed states to exclude junk food such as soda and candy. Twenty-two states, mostly led by Republicans, have requested or been granted permission to ban certain foods.
SNAP is a major piece of the U.S. social safety net used by nearly 42 million, or about 1 in 8, Americans to help buy groceries. On average, the monthly benefit per household is about $350, and the average benefit per person is about $190.
The Source: The Associated Press contributed to this report.