Visit Road to the Farm Bill for FRAC’s Farm Bill priority legislation. Check out FRAC’s Bills We’re Supporting page for additional priorities for families struggling against hunger.

Child Tax Credit Advocacy Needed: Join April 2 Day of Action to Push for Senate Vote

Join the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), the Coalition on Human Needs, Economic Security Project, MomsRising, and our varied partners for an April 2 day of action focused on getting the Child Tax Credit (CTC) improvements in the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act over the finish line in the Senate.

Take Action

Build momentum in the lead-up to April 2, the day of, and beyond:

  • Use and share with your networks the FRAC Action Network to call on the Senate to pass the bill.
  • Meet with Senate offices to push on the urgency and importance of CTC improvements to improve food security and lift families with children out of poverty.
  • Get vocal on social media.

State of Play

Urge your Senators to swifty take up and pass the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act when they return to Washington, D.C., and to reject any amendments that could weaken or limit the impact of the CTC for families. The House overwhelmingly passed the bill (357–70) in January.

An expanded and inclusive CTC is a transformational policy for addressing hunger among families with children. Under the House-passed bill, approximately 16 million out of the 19 million children currently left out of the full or any CTC will benefit, and an estimated 400,000 children will be lifted above the poverty line.

Resources

Resources to draw on and share:

For more information on the CTC, contact Susan Beaudoin, sbeaudoin@frac.org; for help with communications with your Senate offices, contact Tim Klipp-Lockhart, tklipp-lockhart@frac.org, or Ellen Teller, eteller@frac.org.

Food Research & Action Center Applauds Congress for Releasing FY 2024 Spending Bill to Fully Fund WIC, Rejecting Harmful SNAP Policy Rider

“At a crucial juncture, Congress on March 3, 2024 released a final fiscal year (FY) 2024 Agriculture Appropriations package, securing $7.030 billion in critical funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), a lifeline for nearly 7 million pregnant and postpartum women and young children, including approximately half of all infants born in the U.S. By rejecting a substantial number of harmful policy riders, which included efforts to restrict SNAP benefits — a proposal which received widespread, bipartisan criticism, Congress has also shown a commitment to the health, well-being, and dignity of millions of families.” Read more in FRAC’s statement,

House Passes Tax Proposal Including Child Tax Credit Enhancements in Bipartisan Vote

“FRAC applauds the House for swiftly and overwhelmingly passing the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act, a vital step in expanding the Child Tax Credit and addressing our nation’s child hunger crisis. The bill’s enhancements to the tax credit will benefit 16 million children currently left out of receiving the full or any credit, and will lift 400,000 above the poverty line. Investing in families is crucial to ending hunger and fostering a more prosperous society. We now urge the Senate to expedite this legislation without amendments – hungry families can’t wait.”

– FRAC President Luis Guardia

Action Needed: Urge Your Members of Congress to Cosponsor SNAP Priority Legislation in Upcoming Farm Bill

Join advocates from across the country in urging Members of Congress to support the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by cosponsoring anti-hunger priority legislation to be considered in the upcoming Farm Bill.

Action needed: Urge Congress to protect and strengthen SNAP in the upcoming Farm Bill by supporting and cosponsoring the following legislation:

  • The Improving Access to Nutrition Act (H.R. 1510/S. 2435) would end harsh and arbitrary time limits on SNAP benefits for certain individuals and allow them to access the food, nutrition, and overall health benefits provided by the program. Bill highlights, House and Senate sponsors.
  • The Closing the Meal Gap Act (H.R. 3037/S. 1336) would base SNAP benefit allotments on the more adequate Low-Cost Food Plan, boost SNAP benefits for families with children forced to choose between food and shelter, increase benefits for older adults forced to choose between food and medicine, raise the SNAP minimum monthly benefit, and improve equitable access by extending SNAP to Puerto Rico (replacing the current block-granted Nutrition Assistance Program). Bill highlights, House and Senate cosponsors.
  • The Enhance Access to SNAP Act (EATS) (H.R. 3183/S. 1488) would eliminate the barriers that college students face when accessing SNAP. Bill highlights, House and Senate cosponsors.
  • The Hot Foods Act (H.R. 3519/S. 2258) would end the prohibition on use of SNAP benefits to purchase hot prepared foods from food retailers. Bill highlights, House and Senate cosponsors.
  • The Lift the Bar Act (H.R. 4170/S. 2038) would eliminate the five-year bar (waiting period) for legal permanent immigrants to access SNAP and other federal programs. Bill highlights, House and Senate cosponsors.
  • The Restore Act (H.R. 3479/S. 1753) would repeal the lifetime federal ban on individuals with felony drug convictions from receiving SNAP. Bill highlights, House and Senate cosponsors.

For more information on engaging your Members of Congress, contact Vijay Das, vdas@frac.org, or Tim Klipp-Lockhart, tklipp-lockhart@frac.org. For information on SNAP, contact Gina Plata-Nino, gplata-nino@frac.org.

Use the FRAC Action Network

FRAC Statement for the House Democratic Task Force on Agriculture and Nutrition in the 21st Century

Read FRAC’s statement to the House Democratic Task Force on Agriculture and Nutrition in the 21st Century for 2023 Farm Bill recommendations to improve the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and systematically tackle hunger in the United States. Delivered at the Task Force’s 2023 Farm Bill Roundtable on July 13, 2023.

Read FRAC's statement

FRAC’s Road to the Farm Bill Resource Center

Visit FRAC’s Road to the Farm Bill page to discover priority SNAP legislation, Farm Bill talking points, critical actions, and much more.

Learn more

2023 Farm Bill Leave Behind: Congress Must Protect and Strengthen SNAP, TEFAP, and Other Anti-Hunger Programs

SNAP is the cornerstone of the nation’s nutrition and food security safety net, helping to put food on the table for 42 million participants with low incomes each month. Congress should protect SNAP’s structure and funding, and strengthen SNAP. Use this leave behind to inform your Members of Congress about the critical importance of SNAP, TEFAP, and other anti-hunger programs.

Download the leave behind

Congressional Calendar

Explore the 2023 House and Senate calendars.

Budget Reconciliation 101

Curious about Budget Reconciliation? Unsure about the process or special rules to look out for? Explore this three-page report that explains what you need to know.

Read FRAC's Budget Reconciliation 101

Sign Up for the FRAC Action Network!

Urge your Representatives to support and strengthen the Federal Nutrition Programs. Learn about the latest opportunities for action by signing up for the FRAC Action Network. Hungry people can’t wait.

Sign Up Now

Recent Publications & Data

See More Resources

FRAC Chat

Mar 21, 2024
Clarissa Hayes, Deputy Director, Child Nutrition Programs & Policy

The Food Research & Action Center’s (FRAC) recently released report, The Reach of School Breakfast and Lunch During the 2022–2023 School Year, reveals that just over 14.3 million children received a school breakfast, and 28.1 million children received a school lunch on an average day during the 2022–2023 school year — a decrease of 1.2 million children in breakfast, and 1.8 million children in lunch compared to the 2021–2022 school year.

For the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, school breakfast and lunch returned to normal operations for the 2022–2023 school year.

Mar 13, 2024
LaMonika Jones, Director of DC Hunger Solutions

This week, March 11–16, we join the National CACFP Sponsors Association, program providers, and community partners in celebrating Food Program (CACFP). CACFP is a federally funded assistance program that provides reimbursements for nutritious meals and snacks to those in eligible child care and day care centers.
As we near closer to the release of the District’s Fiscal Year 2025 Budget, it is imperative that community partners, program providers, and parents advocate for the ongoing funding for early childhood nutrition programs, especially CACFP.

Mar 11, 2024
Clarissa Hayes, Deputy Director, Child Nutrition Programs & Policy

This week, March 10–16, is CACFP Week!

The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) is joining the National CACFP Sponsors Association and other partners in raising awareness and celebrating the important role this program plays in combatting hunger and bringing healthy foods to children in child care homes, centers, and afterschool programs across the country.