Washington– A bipartisan group of US senators wants government Food assistance programs To pay the bill for grilled chicken from the grocery store.
Senators this week introduced what they call the Hot Roast Chicken Act, which would make the supermarket staple an eligible purchase under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps.
“The best (and delicious) American play on affordability is Costco’s $4.99 rotisserie chicken,” said Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, who joined Republican Sen. Jim Justice of West Virginia and others in sponsoring the bill. “It’s one of my family’s favorites, and I’m proud to join this bill with the Senator. Justice for everyone to try. SNAP dollars will be well spent to feed our nation’s families who need it.”
SNAP provides a monthly stipend to low-income families for groceries, but it does not pay for hot prepared foods. This exclusion, dating back decades, was intended to promote home cooking. But critics say it’s outdated and penalizes families already struggling to make ends meet, except for convenient and nutritious options.
Lawmakers at the state and federal levels have long debated which foods should be eligible for SNAP benefits. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on mandates to eliminate junk food such as soda and candy. Twenty-two stateswhich is mostly Republican-led, has requested or received permission to ban certain foods.
SNAP is a key part of America’s social safety net that nearly 42 million, or about 1 in 8, Americans use for help buying groceries. On average, the monthly benefit per family is about $350, and the average benefit per person is about $190.
Besides Fetterman and Justice, the senators who introduced the bill are Republican Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Democrat Michael Bennet of Colorado. Republican Rep. Rick Crawford of Arkansas has called for similar legislation in the House.
“We have to give people the choice to put a healthy, high-protein option on the table that tastes good and doesn’t take an hour and a half to cook,” Justice said in a statement.