Congress quietly exempts some workers from SNAP income rules—but not veterans.
S. 1789 — Training and Nutrition Stability Act of 2025 · Filed by Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) · 2 cosponsors · Introduced May 15, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to exclude income earned from certain employment and training programs when calculating SNAP (food stamp) eligibility and benefits. Specifically, payments from work programs, employment training, vocational rehabilitation, and refugee employment programs will no longer count as income that reduces SNAP benefits — allowing households participating in these programs to retain more food assistance while they train or work.
Why we flagged it
The bill's operative mechanism is a straightforward income exclusion that increases SNAP benefits for households in employment and training programs. It is a targeted expansion of food assistance eligibility, not a restriction or carve-out.
What the text implies
- The exemption applies broadly to work programs EXCEPT those under three named veterans' education acts, creating a carve-out that preserves income-counting for veterans in those specific programs while exempting non-veterans in similar programs.
- By excluding training income from SNAP calculations, the bill may increase federal SNAP spending, as more households will qualify for higher benefit levels during training periods.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
Low-income households participating in employment and training programs; Workforce development organizations (indirect, via increased participant retention)