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Expanding SNAP Options Act of 2021

USA117th CongressS-313| Senate 
| Updated: 2/12/2021
Richard J. Durbin

Richard J. Durbin

Democratic Senator

Illinois

Cosponsors (14)
Jeanne Shaheen (Democratic)Mazie K. Hirono (Democratic)Tammy Duckworth (Democratic)Jack Reed (Democratic)Kirsten E. Gillibrand (Democratic)Angus S. King (Independent)Sheldon Whitehouse (Democratic)Jacky Rosen (Democratic)Martin Heinrich (Democratic)Tina Smith (Democratic)Bernard Sanders (Independent)Tammy Baldwin (Democratic)Cory A. Booker (Democratic)Jeff Merkley (Democratic)

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Expanding SNAP Options Act of 2021 This bill revises the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) to make the online redemption of benefits, including the acceptance of Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards, more widely available by requiring the implementation of online SNAP purchasing in every state and providing funding for an online redemption portal and a technical assistance center. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must award on a competitive basis one or more contracts to develop an EBT Online Redemption Portal to (1) allow program participants to use online or mobile electronic benefits transactions to purchase program foods from, and make online payments to, authorized program retailers under SNAP; and (2) facilitate food purchase delivery for program participants using such electronic benefits transactions. The Food and Nutrition Service of USDA must award competitive grants or enter into cooperative agreements with nonprofit entities to establish a SNAP Online Purchasing Technical Assistance Center to provide state agencies, authorized program retailers, and program participants information on and technical assistance with accepting SNAP benefits through online transactions and use of the portal. In providing technical assistance, the center must give priority to entities that are small and limited-resource retailers. The bill provides funding for both the online redemption portal and the technical assistance center. USDA must maintain on its website a publicly available listing, organized and searchable by region, locality, and state, of all approved retail food stores accepting benefits from recipients of SNAP, including through online transactions.
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Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

S 116-4202
Expanding SNAP Options Act of 2020
Feb 12, 2021
Introduced in Senate
Feb 12, 2021
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Apr 8, 2021

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 117-1413
Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 116-4202
    Expanding SNAP Options Act of 2020


  • February 12, 2021
    Introduced in Senate


  • February 12, 2021
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.


  • April 8, 2021

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 117-1413
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations.

Agriculture and Food

Related Bills

  • HR 117-1413: Expanding SNAP Options Act of 2021
Congressional oversightFood assistance and reliefFood industry and servicesGovernment information and archivesInternet and video servicesInternet, web applications, social mediaPoverty and welfare assistanceRetail and wholesale tradesTelephone and wireless communication

Expanding SNAP Options Act of 2021

USA117th CongressS-313| Senate 
| Updated: 2/12/2021
Expanding SNAP Options Act of 2021 This bill revises the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) to make the online redemption of benefits, including the acceptance of Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards, more widely available by requiring the implementation of online SNAP purchasing in every state and providing funding for an online redemption portal and a technical assistance center. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must award on a competitive basis one or more contracts to develop an EBT Online Redemption Portal to (1) allow program participants to use online or mobile electronic benefits transactions to purchase program foods from, and make online payments to, authorized program retailers under SNAP; and (2) facilitate food purchase delivery for program participants using such electronic benefits transactions. The Food and Nutrition Service of USDA must award competitive grants or enter into cooperative agreements with nonprofit entities to establish a SNAP Online Purchasing Technical Assistance Center to provide state agencies, authorized program retailers, and program participants information on and technical assistance with accepting SNAP benefits through online transactions and use of the portal. In providing technical assistance, the center must give priority to entities that are small and limited-resource retailers. The bill provides funding for both the online redemption portal and the technical assistance center. USDA must maintain on its website a publicly available listing, organized and searchable by region, locality, and state, of all approved retail food stores accepting benefits from recipients of SNAP, including through online transactions.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

S 116-4202
Expanding SNAP Options Act of 2020
Feb 12, 2021
Introduced in Senate
Feb 12, 2021
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Apr 8, 2021

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 117-1413
Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 116-4202
    Expanding SNAP Options Act of 2020


  • February 12, 2021
    Introduced in Senate


  • February 12, 2021
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.


  • April 8, 2021

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 117-1413
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations.
Richard J. Durbin

Richard J. Durbin

Democratic Senator

Illinois

Cosponsors (14)
Jeanne Shaheen (Democratic)Mazie K. Hirono (Democratic)Tammy Duckworth (Democratic)Jack Reed (Democratic)Kirsten E. Gillibrand (Democratic)Angus S. King (Independent)Sheldon Whitehouse (Democratic)Jacky Rosen (Democratic)Martin Heinrich (Democratic)Tina Smith (Democratic)Bernard Sanders (Independent)Tammy Baldwin (Democratic)Cory A. Booker (Democratic)Jeff Merkley (Democratic)

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee

Agriculture and Food

Related Bills

  • HR 117-1413: Expanding SNAP Options Act of 2021
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Congressional oversightFood assistance and reliefFood industry and servicesGovernment information and archivesInternet and video servicesInternet, web applications, social mediaPoverty and welfare assistanceRetail and wholesale tradesTelephone and wireless communication