Affordable Food and Energy Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7069 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7069

   To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to expand benefits to 
 households eligible for Federal and State energy assistance programs, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 14, 2026

Ms. McDonald Rivet introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
                      the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to expand benefits to 
 households eligible for Federal and State energy assistance programs, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Affordable Food and Energy Act of 
2026''.

SEC. 2. HOUSEHOLD ASSISTANCE.

    Section 5 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2014) is 
amended--
            (1) by amending subsection (e)(6)(C)(iv)(I) to read as 
        follows:
                                    ``(I) In general.--Subject to 
                                subclause (II), if a State agency 
                                elects to use a standard utility 
                                allowance that reflects heating and 
                                cooling costs, the standard utility 
                                allowance shall be made available to 
                                households that received a payment, or 
                                on behalf of which a payment was made, 
                                under the Low-Income Home Energy 
                                Assistance Act of 1981 (42 U.S.C. 8621 
                                et seq.) or other similar energy 
                                assistance program, if in the current 
                                month or in the immediately preceding 
                                12 months, the household either 
                                received such a payment, or such a 
                                payment was made on behalf of the 
                                household, that was greater than $20 
                                annually, as determined by the 
                                Secretary.'', and
            (2) by amending subsection (k)(4) to read as follows:
            ``(4) Third party energy assistance payments.--
                    ``(A) Energy assistance payments.--For purposes of 
                subsection (d)(1), a payment made under a State law 
                (other than a law referred to in paragraph (2)(G)) to 
                provide energy assistance to a household shall be 
                considered money payable directly to the household.
                    ``(B) Energy assistance expenses.--For purposes of 
                subsection (e)(6), an expense paid on behalf of a 
                household under a State law to provide energy 
                assistance shall be considered an out-of-pocket expense 
                incurred and paid by the household.''.

SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect July 
4, 2025.
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