H.R. 7069: Affordable Food and Energy Act of 2026

This bill, titled the Affordable Food and Energy Act of 2026, proposes amendments to the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008. The main goals of the bill are to expand assistance for households that qualify for Federal and State energy assistance programs. The specifics of the amendments are detailed below:

Household Assistance

The bill makes changes to Section 5 of the Food and Nutrition Act, which pertains to household assistance in the context of food and nutrition benefits:

• Utility Allowance: The bill allows a state agency to use a standard utility allowance that reflects heating and cooling costs. This allowance would be available to households that have received energy assistance payments or had payments made on their behalf under the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act or similar programs. A household must have received more than $20 in assistance over the past year to qualify.
• Third-Party Energy Assistance: The bill clarifies that energy assistance payments made under state laws are to be considered as direct payments to households. Additionally, expenses paid on behalf of a household for energy assistance will be treated as out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the household.

Effective Date

The amendments proposed in this bill are set to take effect on July 4, 2025.

Summary of Changes

The overall objective of these changes is to enhance the support system for low-income households by ensuring they can receive food and nutrition benefits that also take into account their energy assistance needs.

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