John Fetterman has joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers backing legislation that would allow recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, to use benefits to buy hot rotisserie chicken.
The proposal, known as the Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act, was introduced Tuesday and is led by Jim Justice, a Republican. Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat, signed on as a cosponsor alongside Shelley Moore Capito and Michael Bennet.
SNAP, commonly known as food stamps, provides Electronic Benefit Transfer cards to low-income households for grocery purchases. Under current federal rules, benefits generally may be used for staple foods such as bread, meat, produce, and other groceries intended for home preparation. Heated or prepared hot foods are typically excluded.
Supporters of the bill say hot rotisserie chicken is an affordable, practical option that can feed families for multiple meals and should be included.
Fetterman praised the measure, calling rotisserie chicken one of the best low-cost meal options available. He specifically mentioned the popular $4.99 Costco rotisserie chicken as a favorite in his household.
Current rules already allow cooked rotisserie chicken to be purchased with SNAP benefits if it has been cooled, but not while hot and ready to eat.
The proposed legislation would narrowly change the definition of food in the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to include hot rotisserie chicken only. It would not expand SNAP eligibility to cover all hot prepared foods.
That limited approach could make the bill more appealing across party lines, though it remains unclear whether the measure will advance in Congress.
Fetterman has also supported broader efforts to expand food access through SNAP. He previously backed separate legislation that would allow hot prepared foods more broadly, though that bill has not advanced. Last year, he also introduced a proposal to reimburse SNAP users whose EBT funds were stolen through fraud.
Source: Phila. Inquirer