H.R. 5129

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5129 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5129

To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to require that 
supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits be calculated using 
the value of the low-cost food plan, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 4, 2025

Ms. Adams (for herself, Ms. Velazquez, Mrs. Hayes, and Ms. Lee of 
Pennsylvania) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to require that 
supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits be calculated using 
the value of the low-cost food plan, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. CALCULATION OF PROGRAM BENEFITS USING LOW-COST FOOD PLAN.

(a) Definition of Low-Cost Food Plan.--Section 3 of the Food and 
Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012) is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (u);
(2) by redesignating subsections (n) through (t) as 
subsections (o) through (u), respectively; and
(3) by inserting after subsection (m) the following:
``(n) Low-Cost Food Plan.--
``(1) In general.--The term `low-cost food plan' means the 
diet, determined in accordance with the calculations of the 
Secretary, required to feed a 4-person family that consists 
of--
``(A) a man and a woman who are each between 19 and 
50 years of age;
``(B) a child who is between 6 and 8 years of age; 
and
``(C) a child who is between 9 and 11 years of age.
``(2) Reevaluation.--By December 31, 2029, and at 5-year 
intervals thereafter, the Secretary shall reevaluate and 
publish the market baskets of the low-cost food plan, based on 
current food prices, food composition data, consumption 
patterns, and dietary guidance.
``(3) Cost.--For purposes of paragraph (1), the cost of the 
diet described in that paragraph shall be the basis for uniform 
allotments for all households regardless of the actual 
composition of the household, except that the Secretary shall--
``(A) make household-size adjustments (based on the 
unrounded cost of that diet) taking into account 
economies of scale;
``(B) make cost adjustments in the low-cost food 
plan for the State of Hawaii and the urban and rural 
parts of the State of Alaska to reflect the cost of 
food in Hawaii and urban and rural Alaska, 
respectively; and
``(C) on October 1, 2023, and each October 1 
thereafter, adjust the cost of the diet to reflect the 
cost of the diet in the immediately preceding June, and 
round the result to the nearest lower-dollar increment 
for each household size.''.
(b) Value of Allotment.--Section 8(a) of the Food and Nutrition Act 
of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2017(a)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``thrifty food plan'' each place it appears 
and inserting ``low-cost food plan''; and
(2) in the proviso, by striking ``8 percent'' and inserting 
``10 percent''.
(c) Quality Control System.--Section 16(c)(1)(A)(ii) of the Food 
and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2025(c)(1)(A)(ii)) is amended--
(1) in subclause (II)--
(A) by striking ``thrifty food plan is adjusted 
under section 3(u)(4)'' and inserting ``low-cost food 
plan is adjusted under section 3(n)(3)(D)''; and
(B) by striking ``2013'' and inserting ``2023'';
(2) by redesignating subclause (II) as subclause (III); and
(3) by striking subclause (I) and inserting the following:
``(I) for fiscal year 2023, at an 
amount not greater than $50;
``(II) for fiscal year 2024, the 
amount specified in subclause (I) 
adjusted by the difference between the 
thrifty food plan (as defined in 
section 3 (as in effect on the day 
before the date of enactment of the 
Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2025)) and 
the low-cost food plan; and''.
(d) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Section 10 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 
U.S.C. 2019) is amended, in the first sentence, by striking 
``3(o)(4)'' and inserting ``3(p)(4)''.
(2) Section 11 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 
U.S.C. 2020) is amended--
(A) in subsection (a)(2), by striking ``3(s)(1)'' 
and inserting ``3(t)(1)'';
(B) in subsection (d)--
(i) by striking ``3(s)(1)'' each place it 
appears and inserting ``3(t)(1)'';
(ii) by striking ``3(s)(2)'' each place it 
appears and inserting ``3(t)(2)''; and
(iii) by striking ``Act (25 U.S.C. 450)'' 
and inserting ``and Education Assistance Act 
(25 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.)''; and
(C) in subsection (e)(17), by striking ``3(s)(1)'' 
and inserting ``3(t)(1)''.
(3) Section 19(a)(2)(A)(ii) of the Food and Nutrition Act 
of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2028(a)(2)(A)(ii)) is amended by striking 
``thrifty food plan has been adjusted under section 3(u)(4)'' 
and inserting ``low-cost food plan has been adjusted under 
section 3(n)(3)(D)''.
(4) Section 27(a)(2) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 
(7 U.S.C. 2036(a)(2)) is amended--
(A) in subparagraph (C), by inserting ``(as in 
effect on the day before the date of enactment of the 
Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2025)'' after ``section 
3(u)(4)'';
(B) in subparagraph (D)(ix), by striking ``and'' at 
the end;
(C) by redesignating subparagraph (E) as 
subparagraph (F);
(D) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the 
following:
``(E) for fiscal year 2023, the sum obtained by 
adding--
``(i) the dollar amount of commodities 
specified in subparagraph (B) adjusted by the 
percentage by which the low-cost food plan has 
been adjusted under section 3(u)(4) between 
June 30, 2021, and June 30 of the immediately 
preceding fiscal year; and
``(ii) $35,000,000; and''; and
(E) in subparagraph (F) (as so redesignated), by 
striking ``subparagraph (D)(ix) adjusted by the 
percentage by which the thrifty food plan has been 
adjusted under section 3(u)(4)'' and inserting 
``subparagraph (F) adjusted by the percentage by which 
the low-cost food plan has been adjusted under section 
3(n)(3)(D)''.
(5) Section 408(a)(12)(B)(i) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 608(a)(12)(B)(i)) is amended by striking ``(r)'' each 
place it appears.

SEC. 3. DEDUCTIONS FROM INCOME.

(a) Standard Medical Expense Deduction.--Section 5(e)(5) of the 
Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2014(e)(5)) is amended--
(1) in the paragraph heading, by striking ``Excess 
medical'' and inserting ``Medical'';
(2) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``an excess medical'' 
and all that follows through the period at the end and 
inserting ``a standard medical deduction or a medical expense 
deduction of actual costs for the allowable medical expenses 
incurred by the elderly or disabled member, exclusive of 
special diets.'';
(3) in subparagraph (B)(i), by striking ``excess''; and
(4) by adding at the end the following:
``(D) Standard medical expense deduction amount.--
``(i) In general.--Except as provided in 
clause (ii), the standard medical expense 
deduction shall be--
``(I) for fiscal year 2023, $140; 
and
``(II) for each subsequent fiscal 
year, equal to the applicable amount 
for the immediately preceding fiscal 
year as adjusted to reflect changes for 
the 12-month period ending the 
preceding June 30 in the Consumer Price 
Index for All Urban Consumers: Medical 
Care published by the Bureau of Labor 
Statistics of the Department of Labor.
``(ii) Exception.--For any fiscal year, a 
State agency may establish a greater standard 
medical expense deduction than described in 
clause (i) if the greater deduction satisfies 
cost neutrality standards established by the 
Secretary for that fiscal year.''.
(b) Elimination of Cap of Excess Shelter Expenses.--
(1) In general.--Section 5(e)(6) of the Food and Nutrition 
Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2014(e)(6)) is amended--
(A) by striking subparagraph (B); and
(B) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) and (D) as 
subparagraphs (B) and (C), respectively.
(2) Conforming amendment.--Section 2605(f)(2)(A) of the 
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 (42 U.S.C. 
8624(f)(2)(A)) is amended by striking ``5(e)(6)(C)(iv)(I) of 
that Act (7 U.S.C. 2014(e)(6)(C)(iv)(I))'' and inserting 
``5(e)(6)(B)(iv)(I) of that Act (7 U.S.C. 
2014(e)(6)(B)(iv)(I))''.

SEC. 4. ELIMINATION OF TIME LIMIT.

(a) In General.--Section 6 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 
U.S.C. 2015) is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (o); and
(2) by redesignating subsections (p) through (s) as 
subsections (o) through (r), respectively.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Section 5(a) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 
U.S.C. 2014(a)) is amended, in the second sentence, by striking 
``(r)'' and inserting ``(q)''.
(2) Section 6(d)(4) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 
(7 U.S.C. 2015(d)(4)) is amended--
(A) in subparagraph (B)(ii)(I)(bb)(DD), by striking 
``or subsection (o)''; and
(B) in subparagraph (N), by striking ``or 
subsection (o)'' each place it appears.
(3) Section 7(i)(1) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 
(7 U.S.C. 2016(i)(1)) is amended by striking ``section 6(o)(2) 
of this Act or''.
(4) Section 16(h) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 
U.S.C. 2025(h)) is amended--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) in subparagraph (B), in the matter 
preceding clause (i), by striking ``that--'' 
and all that follows through the period at the 
end of clause (ii) and inserting ``that is 
determined and adjusted by the Secretary.'';
(ii) by striking subparagraph (E);
(iii) by redesignating subparagraph (F) as 
subparagraph (E); and
(iv) in clause (ii)(III)(ee)(AA) of 
subparagraph (E) (as so redesignated), by 
striking ``, individuals subject to the 
requirements under section 6(o),''; and
(B) in paragraph (5)(C)--
(i) in clause (ii), by adding ``and'' at 
the end;
(ii) in clause (iii), by striking ``; and'' 
and inserting a period; and
(iii) by striking clause (iv).
(5) Section 51(d)(8)(A)(ii) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986 is amended--
(A) in subclause (I), by striking ``, or'' at the 
end and inserting a period;
(B) in the matter preceding subclause (I), by 
striking ``family--'' and all that follows through 
``receiving'' in subclause (I) and inserting ``family 
receiving''; and
(C) by striking subclause (II).
(6) Section 103(a)(2) of the Workforce Innovation and 
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3113) is amended--
(A) by striking subparagraph (D); and
(B) by redesignating subparagraphs (E) through (K) 
as subparagraphs (D) through (J), respectively.
(7) Section 121(b)(2)(B) of the Workforce Innovation and 
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3151) is amended--
(A) by striking clause (iv); and
(B) by redesignating clauses (v) through (vii) as 
clauses (iv) through (vi), respectively.
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