Bipartisan Fix, Reintroduced in House to Ensure SNAP Recipients Don’t Have to Choose Between Job Training and Putting Food on the Table

Representatives Espaillat, Bresnahan, Adams, Miller, and Bacon Reintroduce Training and Nutrition Stability Act (H.R.2974), Which Fixes a Catch-22 that Can Disqualify People from Receiving SNAP Food Benefits by Participating in SNAP Employment & Training Program

WASHINGTON, April 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) applauds the reintroduction of, the Training and Nutrition Stability Act (TNSA), in the House of Representatives—a bipartisan effort led by Representatives Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Rob Bresnahan (R-PA), Alma Adams (D-NC), Max Miller (R-OH), and Don Bacon (R-NE). This critical legislation, originally co-sponsored by Representative Don Bacon (R-NE), provides a fix to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Employment and Training (SNAP E&T) program to ensure individuals have both food security and training, thus allowing millions of Americans to invest in their future while maintaining stability for themselves and their families.

Congress’ 2018 Farm Bill intended to strengthen access to quality employment opportunities by including paid training as an allowable component in SNAP E&T. But, the expansion of paid training inadvertently resulted in significant reduction or total loss of food assistance. TNSA will ensure that people participating in temporary paid training through E&T and other federal workforce programs —such as transitional jobs or apprenticeships that CEO and other workforce development organizations provide—do not lose access to essential SNAP food benefits.

“Investing in workforce development while preserving access to food assistance is integral to building lasting independence for people returning from incarceration as well as the millions of Americans also struggling to make ends meet,” said Sam Schaeffer, CEO of the Center for Employment Opportunities. “CEO is grateful to the leadership of Representatives Espaillat, Miller, Adams, and Bresnahan for championing The Training and Nutrition Stability Act so Americans won’t have to choose between building lasting careers and putting food on the table for their families.”

Earlier this month, Schaeffer and CEO Senior Site Supervisor William Lewis, testified before the House Committee on Agriculture to explain the efficacy of voluntary and paid workforce development training and the importance of protecting access to SNAP food assistance.

Full press release linked here.

Contact:
Claire Gross, Sr. Manager of Public Relations
[email protected] | (646) 370-8292

SOURCE Center for Employment Opportunities