Hunger-Free Future Act of 2025
Hunger-Free Future Act of 2025
Plain Language Summary
# Hunger-Free Future Act of 2025 - Summary **What the bill would do:** This bill would prevent the Department of Agriculture (USDA) from updating the "Thrifty Food Plan"—the formula used to calculate how much money low-income families receive through SNAP (food stamps)—if that update would increase food insecurity. Currently, USDA is required to review and adjust this formula every five years to account for inflation and changing food prices.
The bill essentially adds a safety valve: if an update would result in more households struggling to afford food, the update cannot proceed. **Who it affects:** The bill primarily affects the roughly 40 million Americans who receive SNAP benefits, as well as USDA officials responsible for administering the program. Supporters argue it protects vulnerable families from benefit cuts, while critics might worry about the practical or budgetary implications of freezing benefit calculations. **Current status:** The bill was introduced in the 119th Congress and is currently in committee, meaning it has not yet been debated or voted on by the full House of Representatives.
CRS Official Summary
Hunger-Free Future Act of 2025This bill prohibits any reevaluation or update to the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP) by the Department of Agriculture (USDA) that results in an increase in food insecurity (i.e., an increase in the number of households that lack adequate food as a result of having insufficient money and other resources to acquire food).As background, USDA created the TFP (the cost of purchasing a nutritionally adequate low-cost diet), which is used to determine maximum monthly benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). USDA calculates the cost of the TFP (i.e., the market basket of goods) each year to account for food price inflation. Under a provision of the 2018 farm bill, USDA must reevaluate the market basket of goods every five years based on current food prices, food composition data, consumption patterns, and dietary guidance.
Latest Action
Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture.