January 8 (legislative day, January 7), 2026
Mr. Welch (for himself, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Markey, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Wyden, and Mr. Schiff) 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 improve the cost of living adjustment exclusion from income under the supplemental nutrition assistance program, 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 COLAs Don’t Count Act of 2026
.
Sec. 2. Exclusion from income
Section 5(d) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2014(d)) is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (12), by striking July 1
and inserting January 1
;
(2)
in paragraph (18), by striking and
at the end;
(3)
by redesignating paragraph (19) as paragraph (20); and
(4)
by inserting after paragraph (18) the following:
(19)
supplementary payments of the type described in section 1616(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1382e(a)); and
Sec. 3. Effective date
This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect on October 1, 2027.