Harris, Gillibrand, Sanders Announce Bill To Fight Hunger, Help Families Afford Food Amid Economic Crisis

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Kamala D. Harris (D-CA) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), along with Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), on April 23, announced the introduction of the Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2020, legislation that expands and strengthens Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for vulnerable community members who are struggling to make ends meet. With food banks experiencing skyrocketing demand across the country, the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically increased the need for SNAP to combat food insecurity. This effort builds off of work done by Congresswoman Alma Adams in the House.  

The Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2020 is endorsed by California Association of Food Banks, Western Center on Law and Poverty, MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, Hunger Free America, Coalition for Food Security Puerto Rico, Public Interest Law Project, California, among dozens more groups and organizations.

The Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2020:

-Increases Benefits. Increases the baseline for SNAP benefits by approximately 30%. This better aligns with how a household needs, and allows for a more nutritional diet.

-Eliminates Eligibility Limits and Unrealistic Barriers. Eliminates time limits for people struggling to find work from receiving SNAP benefits.

-Expands Benefits For Territories. Stops discrimination against those who live and work in U.S. territories by transitioning them to SNAP and treating them as if they were states. 

A one-pager on the bill can be found here, closingthemealgap.