H.R. 2837 · 117th Congress · House

Making Essentials Available and Lawful (MEAL) Act of 2021

Active· Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations.
Introduced
Apr 26, 21
Passed House
Pending
Passed Senate
Pending
Sent to President
Pending
Signed into Law
Pending

Executive Summary

Making Essentials Available and Lawful (MEAL) Act of 2021

This bill repeals a lifetime ban that prohibits individuals convicted of certain offenses related to the possession, use, or distribution of a controlled substance from receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits or assistance under programs funded by Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grants. Any state law that imposes conditions on eligibility for SNAP benefits or TANF assistance based on an individual's conviction of such an offense shall have no force or effect.

In addition, individuals who are incarcerated and scheduled to be released within 30 days shall qualify as individual households for purposes of SNAP eligibility. Under current law, unless specifically excepted, individuals residing in institutions do not constitute a household.

Action Timeline

6
  1. JUL 01, 2021•Committee

    Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations.

  2. APR 26, 2021•IntroReferral

    Introduced in House

  3. APR 26, 2021•IntroReferral

    Introduced in House

  4. APR 26, 2021•IntroReferral

    Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

  5. APR 26, 2021•IntroReferral

    Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

  6. APR 26, 2021•Committee

    Referred to the Subcommittee on Worker and Family Support.

Committees

4

Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture Subcommittee

hsag03

Referred: Jul 1, 2021

Active

Work and Welfare Subcommittee

hswm03

Referred: Apr 26, 2021

Active

Ways and Means Committee

hswm00

Referred: Apr 26, 2021

Active

Agriculture Committee

hsag00

Referred: Apr 26, 2021

Active