Affordable Food and Energy Act of 2026

This bill proposes amendments to the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, primarily impacting how energy assistance influences Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. A significant change expands access to the standard utility allowance (SUA) for households receiving energy assistance, by lowering the qualifying payment threshold to $20 annually within the preceding 12 months. The bill further clarifies the treatment of state energy assistance payments for SNAP calculations. It specifies that certain state energy assistance payments, not already excluded by federal law, will be considered as direct income for eligibility purposes. Conversely, energy assistance expenses paid on behalf of a household by a state program will be treated as out-of-pocket expenses, allowing them to be claimed as a utility deduction to potentially increase SNAP benefits.