Veteran Families Health Services Act of 2025

House Bill

H.R. 4855

119th Congress

Veteran Families Health Services Act of 2025

In Committee

Introduced:Aug 5, 2025

Primary Sponsor

Christopher H. Smith

Representative

Republican

NJ-4

Cosponsors

0

Quick Stats

Policy Area

Agriculture and Food

Summary

This bill directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study the effects of laws that ban people convicted of drug felonies from receiving food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The study will look at how the ban and state waivers that allow these individuals to still get SNAP benefits impact people's lives.

Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture.

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This bill directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study the effects of laws that ban people convicted of drug felonies from receiving food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The study will look at how the ban and state waivers that allow these individuals to still get SNAP benefits impact people's lives.

Last updated: 12/30/2025

Official Summary

Congressional Research Service summary

SNAP Ban Study ActThis bill directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study to evaluate the effects of provisions that ban individuals who are convicted of drug felonies from participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Specifically, GAO must evaluate the effects of (1) the post-incarceration ban on participation by individuals convicted of a drug felony, and (2) state waiver provisions allowing for participation by these individuals. (The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 bars convicted drug felons from participating in SNAP; however, a state may opt to serve such felons by waiving or modifying the requirement.)The GAO must submit a report to Congress on the study and make the report publicly available on the agency's website.

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

The bill requires the GAO to evaluate the effects of the post-incarceration SNAP ban for individuals convicted of drug felonies.
The study will also look at how state waivers that allow these individuals to participate in SNAP impact them.
The GAO must submit a report on the study's findings to Congress and make it publicly available.

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

If this bill becomes law, the GAO study would provide important information about how the SNAP ban for drug felons affects their ability to access food assistance after serving their sentence. The findings could inform future policy decisions about this issue and its impacts on formerly incarcerated individuals and their families.

Policy Areas

Primary Policy Area

Agriculture and Food

Related Subjects

Congressional oversight

Criminal justice information and records

Drug trafficking and controlled substances

Food assistance and relief

Government studies and investigations

Poverty and welfare assistance

State and local government operations

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

4855, 119th Congress (2025). "Veteran Families Health Services Act of 2025". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-hr-4855