September 11, 2025
Mrs. Gillibrand (for herself, Mr. Fetterman, Mr. Booker, and Mr. Sanders) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
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, 2031, 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, 2025, 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 2025
;
(2)
by redesignating subclause (II) as subclause (III); and
(3)
by striking subclause (I) and inserting the following:
(I)
for fiscal year 2025, at an amount not greater than $50;
(II)
for fiscal year 2026, 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 2025, 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, 2025, 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 2025, $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.