An act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14.

This act reduces taxes, reduces or increases spending for various federal programs, increases the statutory debt limit, and otherwise addresses agencies and programs throughout the federal government.

It is known as a reconciliation bill and includes legislation submitted by several congressional committees pursuant to provisions in the FY2025 congressional budget resolution (H Con. Res. 14) that directed the committees to submit legislation to the House or Senate Budget Committee that will increase or decrease the deficit and increase the statutory debt limit by specified amounts. (Reconciliation bills are considered by Congress using expedited legislative procedures that prevent a filibuster and restrict amendments in the Senate.)

TITLE I--COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY

This title addresses a wide range of Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs, including by changing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and extending programs authorized by the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (commonly known as the 2018 farm bill).

Subtitle A--Nutrition

(Sec. 10101) This section prohibits USDA from increasing the cost of the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP) based on a reevaluation of the contents of the TFP (i.e., the market basket of goods). Further, any annual adjustment to the cost of the plan must be based on the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers.

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 each year to account for food price inflation. Maximum allotments are set at the monthly cost of the TFP for a four-person family, adjusted for family size. 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.

(Sec. 10102) This section increases the work requirements for certain SNAP recipients who are able-bodied adults.

As background, SNAP recipients who are able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs) currently have work-related requirements in addition to the general SNAP work registration and employment and training requirements. SNAP law limits benefits to ABAWDs to 3 months out of a 36-month period, unless the participant meets the additional work-related requirements.

This section raises the age for those who must meet these additional work requirements to include adults who are 65 years old and younger, whereas these requirements currently apply to adults who are 55 years old and younger.

This section requires parents and household members to meet the additional work requirements (similar to someone who does not have a dependent child) if the child is age 14 and older. Currently, those with a child under the age of 18 are exempt from the requirements.

This section excludes from the additional work requirements SNAP recipients who are Indians, Urban Indians, or California Indians (as these terms are defined by the Indian Health Care Improvement Act).

In addition, the section generally requires homeless individuals, veterans, and certain foster care individuals to meet these work requirements. Foster care individuals are those who are 24 years old or younger and were in foster care on the date of attaining 18 years of age or a higher age. Specifically, this section eliminates the current exclusion from the additional work requirements for these individuals based on this status.