Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D‑PA) announced his support for the Improving Access to Nutrition Act of 2025, a bill led by Senators Peter Welch (D‑VT) and Kirsten Gillibrand (DNY) that strikes down the Republicans’ three‑ month‑ cap on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for child‑free adults who can’t lock in 30 hours of work each week.
“Food isn’t a reward for punching a timecard, it’s a basic human need,” said Senator Fetterman. “Republicans wrote a cruel rule that says if you’re 50 and struggling to find steady work, Congress will yank dinner off your table after three months. That’s obscene. Our bill tears up that garbage policy so Pennsylvanians who fall on hard times can still buy groceries while they get back on their feet.”
The Improving Access to Nutrition Act of 2025 would lift Republicans’ punitive three-month time limit on SNAP eligibility to allow able-bodied adults without dependents to receive benefits for longer than three months even if they are unable to find work, in turning helping more Americans access SNAP. The bill would also repeal additional eligibility criteria that imposes the three-month rule on adults up to age 54 over a three-year period.
“Trump’s disastrous economic policies have boxed Vermonters into a financial corner, forcing folks to choose between feeding their families or paying their bills. It’s an impossible choice, and it’s unacceptable that folks across the country have to make that call every day,” said Senator Welch. “Our bill makes it easier for Vermonters to get critical nutrition support and put food on the table when times are tough. This is an essential step, and I’m proud to join my colleagues to make SNAP more accessible for folks who need it.”
“Restoring access to SNAP for able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs) from ages 50-54 is critical,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Time and again it has been shown that increasing work requirements does not improve economic security, but in fact takes away food from our most vulnerable populations. Congress should be fighting to empower our citizens to achieve economic self-sufficiency instead of forcing people to go hungry.”
Under current law, able-bodied adults without dependents between 18 to 49 years old are prohibited from receiving more than three months of SNAP benefits during a three-year period if they do not report at least 30 hours of work per week. These punitive requirements disproportionately impact women and people of color—roughly half of all low-income able-bodied adults without dependents—and are often counterproductive given SNAP’s proven effectiveness in improving economic stability, food security, and wellbeing for participants. Research also indicates that time limits for low-income beneficiaries do not lead to a meaningful increase in employment and decrease participation in SNAP, removing a crucial safety net for low-income participants who often have little to no safety net outside of SNAP benefits.
In addition to Senator Fetterman, the Improving Access to Nutrition Act of 2025 is cosponsored by Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
The Improving Access to Nutrition Act is supported by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC).
Learn more about the Improving Access to Nutrition Act.
Read and download the full text of the bill.
